Review.-Wilson's Dissenting Churches.

we might be praying for what would be rather an injury than a blessing. We are rather disposed to take leave of this subject by congratulating them, that whatever be their duration they can never survive their usefulness, and that as soon as they become negligent of their work, it will be transferred to abler and more faithful hands.

ART. II.-The History and Antiquities
of Dissenting Churches, &c.
[Continued from p. 346.]

N the history of "Turner's Hall,

sing account of Joseph Jacob, who was brought up a Quaker, but became an Independent minister. He displayed his zeal on behalf of civil liberty in the year 1688, by mounting a horse and going to meet the Prince of Orange in the West of England. He was however no blind admirer of William 11. he frequently took occasion to animadvert in public upon such of the measures of the government as he considered blameable. He did this in a Lecture which he preached at Mr. Gouge's Meeting-house, near the Threo Cranes, Thames Street: the report of his disloyalty reached the House of Commons; and, says Mr. Wilson, "Mr. Shaliet, one of Mr. Gouge's people, being then a member of parliament, took up the business at a Church-meeting, complained loudly of Mr. Jacob's behaviour, and insisted upon his being dismissed from his lecture at that place, which was complied with."-Mr. Jacob, like many other reformers, assumed no little church-authority: he obliged his congregation to stand during the singing, discarded periwigs, introduced, on the part of the men, whiskers on the upper lip, of which he set the example, and proceeded even to regulate the dress of the women. He forbade the members of his church to attend any other worship than his own, and made it an offence, to be visited with excommunication, for any of them to interinarry with persons not in churchconnexion. These singularities were urged to an extreme: had Mr. Jacob been a little more temperate, his sect might have lasted (the spirit of the sect still lives in many diferent comanions that we could name) and his name might have been preserved amongst the heresiarchs. The inscrip

417

tion on his tomb, in Bunhill Fields,
is pleasing from its simplicity:
In hopes of a part in the First Resurrec

tion.

To the Memory

Of Mr. JOSEPH JACOB,

An Apostolic Preacher,
Who died the 26th of 4 mo. 1722.
Aged 55.

We learn from the subsequent histoy of "Turner's Hall," that the practice of singing in public worship was, about this time, introduced amongst the Baptists: but it was an innovation, and in one particular case

objected to the novelty, claiming to themselves the title of the Old Church. How uniform is human nature!

Mr. Wilson is to be considered in a higher rank than that of a compiler, and therefore his readers may justly complain that he has sometimes slavishly copied the language of sermons and pamphlets from which he drew his materials. Who can now endure such quaintnesses as the following, which occur pp. 145 and 147, in the account of two ordinations: "Mr. Wallin opened the work of the day, and was the mouth of the church upon the occasion:" " they were not in connexion with any board. Mr Bocket, one of the deacons, was deputed by the church to be their mouth.' Dewhurst then closed the work of the day."

"Mr.

Intolerance is always the same. Orthodoxy, creeds, and persecution are natural allies.

"In the year 1719, the Dissenting Churches in the West of England, were thrown into a fiame, in consequence of some of their ministers having embraced Arianism. This produced a long controversy, which was carried on with great bitterness on both sides. At length the matter being referred to the London ministers, they met together in a synod at Salters' Hall, to consider of advices to be sent to their brethren in the West, with a view of composing the differences. But it so happened that they could not agree among themselves; and, as is generally the case with large bodies, they split into parties and still further widened the breach. It

being proposed in this assembly, that, in order to support their orthodox brethren in the West, the ministers, present should

make a declaration of their own sentiments

with regard to the Trinity, by subscribing the first article of the Church of England, and the answers to the fifth and sixth

questions in the Assembly's Catechism, the matter was violently opposed, as an infringement of Christian liberty, and they divided into two parties of subscribers and pon-subscribers." I. 162, 163.

The decision of the synod was worthy of nonconformists. On dividing, it appeared that there were for subscribing articles of faith 53, against it 57! This ever-memorable majority stamped an honour upon the cause of Dissent, and have redeemed ecclesiastical assemblies from disgrace. Coldly as Mr. Wilson writes of the triumphant party in this part of his work, he uses, in another place, II. 6-8, the lan guage of warm approbation which becomes the friend of liberty.

Amongst the voters at Salter's Hall were Thomas Reynolds, pastor of the Weigh-house, and James Read, his assistant: Reynolds was in favour of subscription, Read in opposition to it. The vote given by Read caused his orthodoxy to be suspected, and he was persecuted with artful questions, and not giving answers satisfactory to Reynolds and his orthodox party in the church, which was the majority, was at length dismissed. Two of the questions urged by the inquisitors on this occasion deserve to be recorded as a model for such as may in future be desirous of screwing and racking conscience: they were,

"1. Whether a person that pays religious worship to Christ, but at the same time disowns him to be truly and properly God, (that is, in the strictest and strong

est sense of the word) be chargeable with downright idolatry? 2. Whether such a one has forfeited his claim to Christian communion ?" I. 170.

In this connexion, our historian uses gravely, and without a note of admiration, the phrase "Arian he resy!" Protestant Dissenters ought surely to have learnt by this time the folly of language which implies on the part of the speaker or writer theological infallibility.

The occasional mention of "Mr. Jollie's church at Sheffield," leads Mr. Wilson (p. 177. Note) to name Archbishop Secker, who, in early life was a member of that church, and who afterwards studied for the Dissenting iinistry under the learned Mr. Jones, of Tewkesbury. Secker delivered a probationary Sermon in the mecting house at Bolsover, Derbyshire. And

yet the late Bishop Porteus, in his life of the Archbishop, his patron, asserted that "he never was in communion with the Dissenters!"--The Primate is convicted of having been a Presbyte rian minister, in A Collection of Letters and Essays in favour of Public Liberty," published in 1774, in 3 vols. duodecimo; but he appears to have purified and prepared himself for the church of England by a course of scepticism and medical study and practice (midwifery?) "The Archbishop had a dissenting education, was designed for the pulpit among that people; but had not so much freedom from doubtings, as to allow him to engage in the service of a public instructor in the Christian religion; and therefore turned his thoughts to the study of physic. Bishop Talbot's arguments reconciled him to the faith of the civil churchestablishment, in April, 1721, and he became more and more confirmed in that faith as he made his advances in the church, till he reached the See of Canterbury." Collection, &c. III. 34.

One of the most interesting biographical sketches in the History, is that of Samuel Wilton, D. D. pastor of the church, formerly Presbyterian, now Independent, at the Weigh-house. Dr. Wilton distinguished himself as

an ardent friend and able advocate of religious liberty. He took an active part in the application of the Dissentfrom subscription, and published in ing ministers to parliament for relief 1773 "An Apology for the Renewal of an Application,” and in 1774, “ A Review of some of the Articles of the Church of England, to which a Subscription is required of Protestant Dissenting Ministers." The latter publication is still read and admired and will never be out of date whilst the articles continue to be imposed as a test of orthodoxy in the parliamentary church. With other eminent faculties of mind, Dr. Wilton possessed a very strong and retentive memory; it was partly from his memory, as well as that of Dr. Furneaux, that Lord Mansfield's celebrated speech, estab lishing the right of Dissenters to exemption from office in corporations, was published. A good portrait of him ornaments this part of the His

tory.

Dr. Wilton's public character is the more observable on account of the

Review.-Wilson's Dissenting Churches.

413

There is a story related of him, but for the truth of which we cannot be responsible, that, in one part of his life, he was employed no less than four months in developing the mysteries of Joseph's coat, from Genesis xxxvii. 3. And he made him a coat of many colours. In allusion to this circumstance, Mr. Bragge was thus chaDissenting ministers, at that period :

"Eternal Bragge, in never-ending strains,

different part in religious politics which has been taken by his successor, John Clayton, whose Sermon on the Birmingham Riots has been preserved from oblivion by the eloquent Answer to it by Robert Hall, M. A. the celebrated Baptist minister, then of Cambridge, now of Leicester. Mr. Clay-racterized, in some lines descriptive of the ton was educated under the patronage of the late Countess of Huntingdon, and was some time assistant to "the Rev. Sir Harry Trelawney, who was pastor of an Independent congregation at West Loo, Cornwall." The reverend Baronet after various changes settled down into a parish priest in the national church. An account of his religious progress is given by Mr. Dyer, in his Life of Robert Robinson, p. 179, &c. It has been said that Sir Harry has not taken his rest in the Church of England.

tains;

Unfolds the wonders Joseph's coat con-
Of ev'ry hue describes a different cause,
And from each patch a solemn myst'ry

draws."

I. 247.

The decline of Presbyterian congregations is commonly imputed to the Unitarian doctrine, though, in fact, no peculiar doctrine has been advanced in the greater part of them: but to what cause is the decline of the old Independent "Evangelical" churches to be attributed? That decline in London, at least, is unquestionable. Ex uno disce omnes.

An opposite course to Sir Harry Trelawney's is described by the historian in the Memoir (I. 205) of Carolus Maria de Veil, D. D. who was born at Metz, in Lorrain, of Jewish parents, and educated in that religion, "This church (Bury Street, St. Mary but embraced Christianity and became Axe) is remarkable for the number of first a Roman Catholic, and held dis- ejected ministers who have presided over tinguished stations in that church, it. We have an account of no less than next a Protestant, and obtained orders eight of those worthies, in this connexion. in the Church of England, and lastly There has been a considerable variation a Dissenter of the Baptist denomina- in the state of the Society for the last tion. He latterly practised physic for century and upwards. a maintenance, and being poor, received Chauncey, it appears to have been in a an annual stipend from his Baptist flourishing condition; but in his time it brethren. He published several learn- declined. There was a great revival under ed works, exhibiting his opinions in Dr. Watts, who had a large and respectable audience. During the latter part of the several stages of his belief. A Dr. Savage's time the interest was in a brother of his, Lewis De Compeigne very low state. Though a learned man De Veit, also became a Christian, and and a judicious as well as Evangelical was interpreter of the oriental lan- preacher, his labours were not attended guages to the king of France, but with that success which frequently accomturning Protestant, came over to Eng-panies meaner abilities. At the settlement land.

Mr. Wilson is not likely to rise to fame, as a translator. He gives, for instance, the English of a Latin epitaph on the monument of Mr. Nathaniel Mather, in Bunhill Fields, and the phrase "Laude dignissimus" is thus done into English, “meritorious of the highest praise!" I. 233, 234.

Prior to Dr.

of the present pastor, it was expected that his popular talents would have a considerable influence in reviving the congregation; but they have failed of that desired effect."

I. 253.

There are particular circumstances which more than any general causes affect the condition of Dissenting congregations: one thing is plain, that the The character of Robert Bragge, as ready way to success is to consult the a preacher, may be a useful admonitaste of the public, which is ever vary nition to some of Mr. Wilson's reading. There is now a love of novelty,

ers :

variety, life and bustle in religion. Methodism did not create this taste, it was a happy concurrence with it: regular preaching and church order will

not now satisfy the bulk of Christian hearers and communicants. Hence Independent churches, that have not been cast anew in the methodistic mould, have in very few instances kept up their reputation and numbers.

Mr. Wilson takes a great liberty in coining a word, p. 262, viz. Laudensian, by which he means belonging to (Archbishop) Land. The adjective warranted by usage is Landean; although a circumlocution would be

better than even this term.

In the memoir of Dr. John Owen, the historian writes con amore. Owen was a great man, and we are disposed to make but few abatements in Mr. Wilson's panegyric. It is indeed honourable to this patriarch of Independency, that he was one of the first advocates in England of liberty of conscience, on the right principle. Bishop Jeremy Taylor went before him in this noble course: Richard Baxter, with all his boldness, dared not follow these eminent leaders of the public mind. There was a remarkable consistency in Dr. Owen's nonconformity: he scrupled to give the popish title of saint to the apostles, and he showed a praiseworthy indifference to the usual clerical titles.

"Upon a certain high-churchman refusing to style him Reverend, he wrote thus: For the title of Reverend, I do give him notice that I have very little valued it, ever since I have considered the saying of Luther, Nunquam periclitatur Religio nisi inter Reverindissimos. (Religion never was endangered except among the most Reverends.) So that he may, as to me, forbear it for the future, and call me, as the Quakers do, and it shall suffice. Aud, for that of Doctor, it was conferred on me by the University, in my absence, and against my consent, as they have expressed it under their public seal nor doth any thing but gratitude and respect unto them, make me once own it; and freed from that obligation, I should never use it more: nor did I use it, until some were offended with me and blamed me for my neglect.' Defence of Review of Schism, prefixed to Mr. Cotton's Defence against Cawdry, pp. 97, 98."

I. 265. Note.

Dr. Watts's father is said (I. 292) to have been "a Dissenter from principle." The meaning of the phrase is

evident, but it has been so often tumed into a joke that we doubt the propriety of repeating it; and there are so few temptations of a worldly kind to nonconformity, that it is for the most part needless to say that a Dissenter is not swayed in his religious choice by a love of ease or lucre or honour.

The historian does not conceal Dr. Watts's heresy on the subject of the Trinity, but he is careful to represent it as less alarming than has sometimes been imagined. Of the "solemn address" he says nothing. The Doc tor is commended by this biographer for keeping reason out of the province of religion: but had he suffered his own excellent understanding to exer cise itself on points of faith, could he have fallen into the strange notion that non-elect infants, dying in infancy, sink into annihilation? (I. 308.)

ART. III-Substance of a Speech delivered in the Court of Common Cotincil, on a Motion to address his Royal High ness the Prince Regent to accede to the late Treaty concluded between the Emperors of Russia and of Austria and the King of Prussia. By Mr. Favell. To which are added other Papers on the Subject of Peace. 8vo. pp. 54. Conder. 1816.

MR. FAVELL is well known in

London as the zealous and consistent friend of civil and religious liberty and of peace. In the evening of life, and apparently meditating a retreat from public business, he publishes this speech as a testimony in be-half of the principles which, with va rious success, he has avowed and defended for forty years. He delivers a flattering opinion of his old associates "the Reformers of England-a class of high spirited and independent men, who have maintained the cause of freedom, and have dared be honest in the worst of times." We cordially wish the public attention may be drawn to Mr. Favell's sensible and manly plea for Peace and Reform.

* The question of Dr. Watts's last reli gious opinions is largely discussed in our eighth volume.

( 415 )

POETRY.

In a Church-yard in Wales, over the And shall we turn a deaf and careless ear,

Look'd up with Christian joy, and smil'd And we the victims? Then appalling in death.

Patient, industrious, faithful, gen'rous, Shall scatter dew drops on our brow ;