method, after having compared it with the Alexandrine Manufcript. As to punctuation, I have been careful in correcting it, not only in the vulgar tranflation, but also in the original, as appears by the notes.

The Text is fomething different from the vulgar translation, which at first I defigned to copy verbatim; but on comparing that verfion carefully with the original (though it is a good tranflation upon the whole) I thought it requifite to deviate from it fometimes, and frequently to alter the language. For fome of the words and phrafes, familiar to our ancestors, are now grown fo obfolete, as not to be intelligible to the generality of our readers: others are too mean, equivocal, or inadequate to the original, which is perhaps owing to the fluctuating state of our language; and fome paffages are not fo exactly rendered by our tranflators, as a work of that kind required. In all thefe cafes, I made no fcruple of differing from our public tranflation, endeavouring at the fame time to fteer in a juft medium between a fervile literal tranflation, and a paraphraftic loose version; between low, obfolete, and obfcure language, and a modern enervated style. How far I have fucceeded, the impartial public muft determine.

As for the Notes, they are partly felected from the best eritics and commentators, and partly occurred to me by a careful perufal of the original; but I have only inferted the fubftance of the former, without troubling the reader with the names of the Authors, or diftinguishing them from the latter this would have been of no fervice to the unlearned; and the learned will be at no lofs to distinguish the one from the other. However, it would be unjuft in me not to mention the learned and pious Dr. Doddridge, whofe Family Expofitor has furnished me with many excellent notes and illuftrations of obscure paffages in the N. Teftament,'

We look upon every attempt to improve and render perfect the tranflation of the New Teftament, to be of fo much importance to the progrefs of true religion, and to the honour of genuine Christianity, that we are difpofed to receive every work of this kind with the greatest candour: and it is with peculiar satisfaction and pleasure (as we have had occafion more than once to obferve) that we fee fo many of our clergy directing their studies and attention this way, being (with our Author) fully perfuaded, that if these facred books are but read and underftood, they cannot fail of convincing every fincere inquirer of their divine authority, and making him a true chriftian.'

Mr Wynne feems to have made his divifions into chapters and fections, with a good deal of attention and judgment.

There

1

There is indeed no difficulty in doing this in the hiftorical books, as every perfon must at first fight fee, where one narrative begins and another ends. But this is not so easy in the reasoning part of the Epiftles, where the different topics are more concealed, and fometimes run into one another. It is poffible fome of his divifions here may be difputed in point of propriety, though in general we think them well done.

As to the tranflation, and many of the notes, they are fo much taken from the Family Expofitor of the late Reverend Dr. Doddridge, that the duty we owe the public obliges us to fay, they are more the property of that learned Critic, than of our Editor. Whoever will be at the pains of comparing them together will readily join us in acknowledging the resemblance of the one to the other; we had almoft faid the fameness.

The Doctor's method was, in the courfe of his Expofition and Paraphrase, to interweave his own verfion of the facred Text, diftinguishing it by Italic Characters: this work hath long been in the hands of the public, its character and merit are well known; and therefore as our Editor has followed it fo clofely, and introduced very few variations from it of any importance, it cannot be neceffary to enter into a particular examination of it.

If Mr W. had given us an edition of Dr. Doddridge's Verfion, with the beft of his learned notes and criticifms, he would have done an useful fervice, and what hath often been wifhed for. He would then have been intitled to the thanks of the public; but we do not think it easy to justify him in the use he hath here made of that verfion: nor will the mention he hath made of the Doctor's name in the Preface, refpectful as it is, give him a fair right to it.

S.

The Hiftory of Religion: particularly of the principal Denominations of Chriftians, viz. of the Church of Rome, England, Scotland Nonjurors, Lutherans, Prefbyterians, Independents, Baptifts in general, Quakers, Antinomians, Moravians, and Methodists in general. Containing a fuccinct and genuine Account of their original and prefent Conftitution, Difcipline, Doctrines, Worship, and Ceremonies with a general Account of the various Sectaries of lefs note, fince the first establishment of Chriftiarity. Including a General Hiftory of the Reformation, and so much of Civil and Ecclefiaftical Hiftory as is connected with, er neceffary to explain and illuftrate the Work. To which is added, a Dictionary of the principal Religious Orders, Offices, Days, Rites, Cuftoms, Habits, and Characters; the most important Tranfactions of Eccle

Dd 4

fiaftica

fiaftical Councils, Synods, &c. explaining all fuch ambiguous Words and Phrafes, as have a proper Connection with the Subjects of this Hiftory. By an Impartial Hand. 8vo. 4 vols. l. 4 s. Henderfon, Nicoll, &c.

T

O draw a juft and ftriking picture of the principal denominations of Chriftians, from the beginning of the Christian Era to the present time, to mark the peculiar and diftinguishing features of each, and to exhibit them in their proper colours and attitudes, would be a work equally inftructive and entertaining. A writer, properly qualified for fuch an undertaking, would throw new light upon the hiftory of the human mind, and do eminent fervice to the cause of truth, virtue, and religion. He would pay diftinguished honours to those great and illuftrious characters, who in perilous times have nobly dared to vindicate the facred and unalienable rights of conscience and private judgment; who at the hazard of their lives and fortunes have food up for the honour of God, and the good of mankind, and who have given the most fatisfactory evidence of the fincerity of their belief of Chriftianity, by exemplifying in their own lives thofe amiable virtues of benevolence, meeknefs, moderation, and humility, which it every where fo powerfully recommends. He would paint in bold and glowing colours the bigotry and perfecuting zeal of haughty and imperious Churchmen, who have perverted the defign of the most benevolent system of religion that ever appeared on Earth, and made it fubfervient to the horrid purposes of pride, avarice, cruelty, and unbounded ambition; who have been warmly engaged in the fervice of the Devil, while they have been talking loudly of the glory of God; and who, to ufe the language of a very ingenious Writer, having got what ARCHIMEDES only wanted (viz. another world, on which he could fix his engines) have moved this world at their pleasure.

A Writer, duly qualified for the task we have mentioned, would, we repeat it, expofe in proper colours the infolent and domineering fpirit of priests, who ever have been, are ftill, and ever will be, the fame. The clergy over all Europe, there is reafon to think, indeed, are at prefent much more moderate than they have ever before been known to be; but, notwithflanding this, let not the friends of liberty and moderation trust too much to flattering appearances. We have lately, very lately had, in our own country, a ftriking inftance to prove, that a great deal of the old leaven is ftill left, and that appearances are often very deceitful. The cruel punishment, (for cruel it certainly was) inflicted upon a poor, puny Infidel, a mere mite of Scepticism, for a paltry fcrap of infidelity, too

low

low to be relifhed even by a Link-boy, or common Porter, known only to a few, and treated by all who read it with the contempt it deserved; fhews plainly that we ought ever to be upon our guard against prelatical encroachments, and priestly tyranny.

When a perfon of great spirit, and diftinguished abilities, remonstrated warmly on this occafion to a late minifter, it is well known to many of our Readers in what terms he expreffed himfelf in regard to those worthy Dignitaries of our Church, who, his Lord hip faid, came to him foaming at the mouth, &c. The names of these heroes deferve to be, and fhall be, tranfmitted to pofterity; their magnanimous conduct on this memorable. occafion fhall be treated with diftinguished refpect, but shall be referved for a work of more importance than an article in a REVIEW. In the mean time, who can help admiring their intrepidity! Nobly difdaining fo cheap a victory as that over fuch Pygmies as David Hume, &c, they greatly dared to attack the Gigantic P-t-r A-n-t!

These reflections naturally occurred to us on reading An history of religion; and we flatter ourselves, that our Readers will nei ther think them impertinent nor unfeasonable.

We now proceed to the work before us, the Author of which appears, in some respects, to be but moderately qualified for the task he has undertaken, He feems, indeed, to be a fincere friend to civil and religious liberty, to have read a great deal upon the fubject, and to have taken a world of pains; but, after all, his work, we are obliged to fay it in juftice to our Readers, is a heavy, injudicious compilation. The motives, however, which he affigns for the profecution of his plan, do him honour; one of them, he tells us, was to fupprefs bigotry, prejudice, and cenforioufnefs, which are too apt to take poffeffion of narrow minds; and, in their place, to inculcate and improve that mutual love and charity, even for perfons of differing opinions, which is fo agreeable to the dignity and honour of men, and of Chriftians.

I write for no party, fays he, my aim is to recommend a free and impartial enquiry into the genuine principles of Christianity, which is the just foundation of truth and virtue, liberty and charity.

That generally-received maxim, Rome was not built in a day, is as undoubtedly true with refpect to the conftitution, doctrine and ceremonies of the Romish Church, as of its external form and ftately edifices; for this reafon I have judged a brief account of the principal revolutions and variations in the government, worship, &c. of that church for feventeen centuries, a proper preliminary to the hiftory of its prefent ftate.

The

The account I have given of the principles, &c. of the Romish Church, I have firft expreffed in the words of pope Pius's creed, which was established by the council of Trent, and has been ever fince efteemed by the votaries of that Church, of the greatest authority. I have likewife endeavoured to explain or afcertain their true fenfe, from authors of their own, well approved of by that church, and whofe books have been licensed by public authority; difclaiming and carefully avoiding, as much as poffible, the fallacious gloffes, and artful difguifes of designing priefts on the one hand, and the misapprehenfions of the vulgar on the other. For this purpose I have confulted the most valuable hiftories of that Church, their conftitution, doctrine and ceremonies published at that remarkable period, when the controverfy fubfifted between many of our eminent prelates and of their pricfts and cardinals, from the year 1682 to 1688, inclufive.

I have alfo made feveral extracts from Dr. Middleton's letters from Rome, wherein he has fhewn (conformable to several other authors) that many of the rites and ceremonies of the Romish Church were of heathen original, and deftitute of fuperior authority for their practice: In thefe extracts, I have not thought it neceffary to change his language, to avoid the reprehenfion of those fentiments and ceremonies; nor have I allowed myself to exclaim or to detail out fuch invectives as are too generally used, but have no proper and natural tendency to convince the Papift, or confirm the Proteftant.—If I have given any scope to cenfure, it is in the article of perfecution, where it was impoffible, after reading fo many tragical accounts of the horrid cruelties of the Inquifition, and other inhuman executions, to be impartial and honeft, without expreffing the utmoft abhorrence and deteftation of fuch practices, and the principles that led to them; a fuperficial mention of which, will alarm every true Proteftant who has ever confidered the value of civil and religious liberty, and knows how to prize them. With refpect to other fentiments and practices that are unfcriptural and merely of human invention, I am forry to fee, in the defences of Popery, how much they are founded upon the authority of antient fathers, and that they are so often fhewn to be confonant with fome former practices of our established Church; with certain of the canons, articles, and liturgy; which may fully convince us, that most of the exceptionable parts of our articles and liturgy arofe from the undue veneration which the compilers of them paid to the fathers St. Auguftine, St. Cyprian, St. Ambrofe, &c. and likewise fufficiently demonftrate to the impartial Reader, that Antiquity is a wretched guide to a fearcher after truth; and that human formularies of faith are a chief obftacle to real knowledge.

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