ART. X. LIST OF WORKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED.

THE

ECLECTIC REVIEW,

FOR OCTOBER, 1825.

Art. 1. Memoir of the Life and Writings of the late Rev. Edward Williams, D.D. With an Appendix; including Remarks on Important Parts of Theological Science. By Joseph Gilbert. 8vo. pp. 590. Price 14s. London. 1825.

THE Biographical department of Dissenting Literature is

more remarkable for its extent than for its excellence. Of the numerous Lives and Memoirs which it comprises, but few can claim an exemption from the neglect which eventually awaits publications of this kind, when not distinguished by the celebrity attaching to the individual, or by the talent of the biographer. Such memoirs as Matthew Henry's Life of his father, and the Life of Doddridge by Orton, may justly be pronounced invaluable, and will retain their popularity so long as the model of a useful, honourable, and holy character shall be appreciated by Christian teachers. In this class of works, we have no hesitation in ranking the present Memoir. The friends of the inestimable man who is the subject of it, have long been waiting for this memorial of his worth. From whatever circumstances its publication has been so long retarded, no one who peruses it, can possibly entertain any doubt of the entire veneration and strong affection of the Biographer for the individual whose virtues he has commemorated, and, who was once his guide, 'philosopher, and friend.' Every person by whom the reputa tion and memory of the late Dr. Williams are cherished, will be glad that the task has been undertaken by one so well qualified by congenial inclinations and corresponding habits, and will feel satisfied that the choice of the deceased would have fallen on no other memorialist.

Edward Williams was born Nov. 14, 1750, at Glanclyd, near Denbigh, in North Wales, where his ancestors had long been resident. To his parents, by whom he was treated with the greatest tenderness, the more so on account of his being their only surviving son, he was indebted for so much of a reVOL. XXIV. N.S.

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ligious education as consists in a moderate care over the morals, a constant attendance on public worship at church, ' and a degree of respect for the word of God, his day, and or'dinances;' advantages which were probably of more impor tant benefit to him, than would seem to be implied in the terms of the narrative. The estimate which an individual may form, in advanced years, of the circumstances and discipline of his youthful days, is not always the most correct: he may be more essentially indebted to some of those circumstances than he is able to perceive. From his fifth to his ninth year, young Williams was placed under the care of an aged preceptress in the neighbourhood of the family residence, spending only the Sabbath-days at home. At the expiration of this period, he was transferred to another school for improvement in writing and arithmetic, in which he remained two years, and where he was characterised by a love of play so excessive, as to prevent a common advancement in learning; not, however, without being the subject of religious impressions and exercises which he recollected through life.

The period now arrived when, at eleven years of age, his friends began to think of a profession for him. Since the Church is regarde ed as a respectable and advantageous sphere of life, it generally has a share in the calculations of those who, thinking little of the sacred office to be sustained, look out for a convenient support for their children. The parents of this youth had certainly not evinced any very scrupulous care to furnish him with moral and spiritual instruction, but still," his father had a strong wish to bring up his son for a clergyman."

The very measures, however, which he adopted for that end, frus trated his purpose. At St. Asaph, there was a flourishing school, from which many youths at that time were sent to the universities. In this school, therefore, he was entered as a pupil, in the year 1761. › The scholars were numerous, and some of them grown up to man, hood. Advantages for learning were not wanting, and there is no reason to suppose that he was deficient either in capacity or, at that time, in inclination to avail himself of them. Thither, however, be sides a desire for learning, he carried a tender conscience: and scenes such as were there disclosed, must either prove fatal to moral susceptibility, or excite feelings the most painful.

The young stranger could not, without disgust, be witness to violations of the external decencies of religion; and when he saw his schoolfellows, at whose dissipation and impiety his mind had revolted, "clothed in robes emblematic of innocence, and chaunting with solemn pomp the professed praises of the Divine Majesty," he was grieved beyond endurance. From the boyish candidates, who thus began the race of ecclesiastical expectation, he turned to those of mature age, who had proceeded far in the course; but even there he beheld conduct so paradoxical, as to confound his reason. Hence he

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was led to think, and to examine, and to turn away with deep dis taste from the proposal of being a clergyman in the national establishment. After continuing, therefore, for about two years, it was thought best to take him home again.' pp. 11, 12.

Another profession was now contemplated, and that of the Law being chosen, he was placed by his father in a grammarschool at Caerwys, under the tuition of the Rev. J. Lloyd, cu rate of the parish, preparatory to his entering upon legal stu dies. For these, however, the son had no relish; and in his seventeenth year, he was taken home to assist his father in his business of farming and grazing. The following extract describes, in his own words, the character of his mind, and some of the most striking incidents of this period of his career, from which the subsequent employments of his life received much of

their determination.

"Having," says he, "by a series of experiments, attempted in vain to secure happiness of mind, and, recollecting the repeated warnings given me in different ways, I began in some measure to see with Solomon, that all things under the sun are but vanity and vexation of spirit. I now set about reading the Book of Proverbs, the History of Christ's Life and Sufferings, Thomas à Kempis, and some other books of a similar tendency, With the facts and reflections now presented to me I was much affected; but my views of the great salvation, in its cause, means, and end, were confused, and threw me into great perplexity. My mind was inquisitive and susceptible of strong impression, but I wanted a friendly and able guide. "Half convinced that religion was a reality, I seemed anxious to know some persons in whom it was exemplified. It is a singular, but awful fact, that there was not in all the parish where I resided, one family in which the worship of God by family devotion was maintained, the minister himself not excepted; nor three clergymen in all the six counties of North Wales, who preached and lived the gospel in its purity. Though not knowing where to apply for assistance, I now resolved upon close enquiries; endeavoured to form some opinion of doctrinal truths, to prepare myself for the sacrament, to practise fasting and prayer, and to find out, if possible, some true Christians,

"Such being my resolutions, I renounced my former pleasures. and my companions, who raised a clamour against me, alleging that I was either grown too proud, or was tinctured with Methodism.

This people, every where spoken against, I longed to be acquainted with, conjecturing, that notwithstanding the reproaches cast upon them, they knew more of the Scriptures and salvation by Christ, than those by whom they were so reviled. My conjecture was right. The first preacher I heard, was Mr. Daniel Rowland of Llan, who used to make many excursions into North Wales, and who then preached in the adjacent parish, to a few despised people. Her spoke of the sacrifices of the law, as typical of the sacrifice and;

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atonement of Jesus Christ. Though I comprehended but little of his discourse, I admired his ability and pathetic manner. {}}} From this time, I attended occasional sermons in Mr. R.'s (the same as the Whitfieldite) connexion; but the first time my heart was laid open by deep conviction, was in a despicable barn, under the discourse of a lay preacher, when he exposed the wickedness of the human heart, and traced the workings of vain thoughts which lodge there as in an unclean cage, especially the vain thoughts and expectations of men to secure salvation and happiness otherwise than by God's appointment. Then he directed to the fountain of mercy, and the Saviour's merits as the appointed method by which we are to be cleansed. Now my soul was alarmed and melted, tears flowed in streams, and my repentings were kindled together. The word was indeed a two-edged sword quick and powerful, that divideth asunder joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Now I knew, because it was irresistibly felt, that God's plain and pure word was as fire, and as a hammer which breaketh the rock in pieces. O the anguish of my mind! Perhaps I may say, that never a poor sinner, when hearing an inspired apostle, was much more affected than I was. The king's arrows did indeed stick fast in the heart of his enemy, whereby that enemy fell at his feet, crying for mercy.

I had gone that evening unknown to my friends, and their fear of my associating with that people, awakened their solicitude and resentment. Accordingly they left strict orders with the servants, not to let me in, though a wet, cold night. I made my bed in straw, and took shelter in an out-house; but my clothes being wet, I was stiffened with cold by the morning. Sleep was far from my eyes, and sorrow filled my soul, with only a secret hope to comfort me, that God would not leave me always in that state. I dreaded the morning's interview, knowing my father's resentment to be great from the step he had taken. I had in my pocket Boston's Treatise, entitled The Crook in the Lot,' which I had procured the night before, and which, at the dawn of light, I perused, and learnt that every true Christian must suffer crosses. The storm was not greater than I expected, and at length blew over.”› pp. 22 4.

The disappointment experienced by Mr. Williams in respect to his son, acting upon his mind in combination with the offence taken at these new associations, now led him to adopt a course of severity for the purpose of reclaiming him from his religious connexions; which proved in this instance, as it has in most similar cases, altogether ineffectual. Mild methods were next employed with the same design; and, through the medium of a friend, the proposal was communicated of enter ing into the ministry of the Established Church, with the offer of his being supported at Oxford in the mean time. This offer he at length accepted, and accordingly, on Oct. 3, 1770, he was placed under the care of a clergyman at Derwen with the