five o'clock in the afternoon, Hassan Pacha, Omar-Bey Brioni, the Selictar of Churchid Pacha, and several other officers of the Turkish army, entered with their suite: the gloom upon their countenance was of direful presage. At the sight of them, Ali arose with all the impetuosity of youth, and grasping one of his pistols Stop! what is it you bring me?' cried he to Hassan with a voice of thunder. The firman of his Highness: know you not his sacred characters?' (shewing him the signature.) Yes, and I revere them.'-' If so,' said Hassan, • submit to your fate, perform your ablations, and make your prayer to God and to the Prophet: your head is demanded.' Ali would not permit him to conclude: My head,' replied he furiously, is not to be delivered up so easily.' These words, uttered with astonishing quickness, were accompanied by a pistol-ball, by which Hassan's thigh was broken. With the rapidity of lightning Ali drew forth his other pistols, with which he shot two more of his adversaries dead upon the spot, and already had levelled his blunderbuss loaded with slugs, when the Selictar in the midst of the affray (for Ali's adherents defended their master with the utmost fury) shot him in the abdomen. Another ball struck him in the breast, and he fell, crying out to one of his Sicaires, Go, my friend, despatch poor Vasiliki, that these dogs may not profane her beauteous form. Scarcely had he uttered these words when he expired, after having killed or wounded four of the principal officers of the Turkish army. Many of his followers had fallen by his side before the apartment was in possession of their adversaries. His head, being separated from his body and embalmed, was the next day sent to Constantinople by Churchid Pacha. It arrived there on the 23d February; the Sultan had it carried to the seraglio, where it was shewn to the Divan, after which it was promenaded in triumph through the capital, the whole population of which, intoxicated with joy, were anxious to behold features which, when animated, had inspired so much terror. It was afterwards exhibited at the grand portal of the seraglio, with the decree of death affixed by the side of it." P. 317.

Thus ended one of the most extraordinary men, whether we consider his talents, his crimes, or his achievements, whom our days have produced. We cannot answer for the authenticity of the last part of the narrative; for Mr. Lupton Relfe, where he has not purloined literature, is chary of his authorities. But if we recollect rightly, the story, as here told, accords with the published account of Ali's fall; and though we observe a few manifest contradictions in lesser points, we have no reason to discredit the main and leading facts.

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ART. V. A Summary of Christian Faith and Practice, confirmed by References to the Text of Holy Scripture; compared with the Liturgy, Articles, and Homilies, of the Church of England; and illustrated by Extracts from the chief of those Works which received the Sanction of public Authority, from the Time of the Reformation, to the final Revision of the established Formularies. By the Rev. E. J. Burrow, D.D. F.R.S. and F.L.S. 3 vols. 12mo. 17. 1s. Rivingtons. 1822.

REMEMBERING, as all do, that our religion has been reduced by its Divine Author himself, to "two great commandments"-it might excite surprise to find that "a summary of Christian faith and practice," should fill no less than three volumes, or supply about sixteen hundred pages of matter, printed, for the most part, in a very small type. But lest any of our readers should be discouraged by this circumstance, from the perusal of a very useful and valuable work, we think it proper to apprize them in the outset of our remarks upon it, that the summary itself does not occupy more than about one-sixth part of the volumes: the remainder being devoted to proofs of the various positions laid down by its learned Author, drawn from the different authorities upon which he relies for their establishment. These authorities are clearly stated in the title page, and more particularly detailed in a concise and appropriate introduction to the work; which is preceded by a modest and manly preface, in which the author explicitly declares, that “he covets the praise of man no further than as it shall be awarded to him, for having written in a Christian spirit." To this praise, at least, we have no hesitation in saying, that in our opinion he is fully entitled.

The Introduction (as we have intimated) contains a luminous view of the plan and object of the work: in which will be found some interesting information respecting the principal writings which appeared at the time of the Reformation; and which will certainly be read with attention by those who have not studied so deeply as Dr. Burrow has done, that most important period of our ecclesiastical annals. Justly considering that event as the settlement of our religious constitution, he has constructed a system of Divinity, for the support of which he appeals to no authorities which were not then formally recognized. He even refrains from quoting the " necessary doctrine and erudition of a Christian man," admirable as he admits it to be, "to avoid the objection which might be made to any public work put forth during the

reign of Henry VIII. namely, that all publications issuing from the press, under the royal authority, were subject to the jealous supervision of a prince, who more cordially opposed the Papal power, than the doctrinal corruptions of the Roman Catholic Religion, and that, therefore, no such book can be properly esteemed a Protestant work till after the accession of Edward VI."

Notwithstanding this, (which some will perhaps think) excess of caution, Dr. Burrow has cited a list of authors abundantly sufficient, botli in number and weight, to countenance his "own view of doctrines and morals, as he supposes them to be upheld by the Church to which he has the happiness to belong." These authorities are first-The Holy Scriptures and the Book of Common Prayer-the Thirtynine Articles, and the Two Books of Homilies. To these succeed works "of minor authority but of great value, arranged in the chronological order in which they were published." These are the writings to which we have already alluded. Their titles are as follow: "The Sum and Content of the Holy Scripture," prefixed to some of the earliest authorized Bibles, after the work of reformation had commenced in this kingdom-a Preface to the Bible, by Archbishop Cranmer-a Catechism, edited by Cranmer-Edward the Sixth's Catechism-Jewell's Apology-a Preface to the Bible, by Archbishop Parker-Nowell's Catechism-and lastly, a book entitled, "Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum, &c. the extracts from which are literally translated out of the original Latin, into English, for the use of those who may not be conversant with the former language." This then is the circle out of which Dr. Burrow has not thought it necessary to seek for any light upon the subjects of "Christian Faith and Practice" even at this day.

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Whether by enlarging it, he would not have been able to mark more distinctly the line which separates his opinions upon certain points, from those of" other persons" to whom he refers, who "inculcate tenets not only at variance with, but absolutely subversive of the doctrines," which he himself maintains, is a question which may deserve his future consideration. He is perfectly aware that they with whom he differs so widely in opinion, appeal as confidently as he does to the Articles in confirmation of their notions. "Very dif ferent, it is true, (he says) are the senses which those Articles are made to speak, by the most pious and conscientious men; notwithstanding each one of these men, however their opinions may vary, is willing to abide by the royal injunction, and not to put his own sense or comment to be

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the meaning of the Article,' but to take it in the literal and grammatical sense."" He proceeds to say, "This dif ference of opinion and interpretation is much to be lamented, and not easily to be reconciled, as it would seem; but there does not appear to be any more feasible plan of ascertaining the truth, (for two inconsistent statements cannot be right) than by placing in opposition all the authorized explanations that can be procured, and observing in what points they all agree, and whether they disagree in any. If this system be steadily pursued, it may lead to a right conviction.'

This is so reasonable, that so far as the argument is con cerned, we feel no doubt of the result; though we know from experience, that they who contend that the Scriptures and the Articles "are for them," will often force the same inference from every one of the authorities quoted by Dr. Burrow. In the case of the Homilies he is quite aware of this. "Phrases (he says) much more strong than are to be found in the cautious wording of the Articles and Liturgy; or in the Catechisms put forth expressly for instruction in religious truth, and adopted by the highest authorities in the Church. Such strong phrases are occasionally to be met with in the Homilies, which, if separated from the lectures in which they stand, might be misunderstood, and might mislead the unwary reader." In the next page he says very justly; "Allowance must always be made for the circumstances of the times in which the Homilies were published, and for the necessity of opposing the particular errors and vices, which then prevailed, with more than usual energy and force.” And be adds; "the Article which confirms the authority of the Homilies, seems to allude to their particular fitness for the times in which they were published, though it is not to be supposed, exclusively; for godly and wholesome doctrine must assuredly be valuable in all ages."

But it is not the design of Dr. Burrow to produce a controversial work. It doubtless will he deemed (he says) a character deserving of approbation that the language of controversy has been sedulously avoided. Would it were possible (he adds) to avoid all controverted subjects! or rather, that no subjects were controverted, but those which it is impossible to avoid!" Notwithstanding this, we collect from the Preface, and from a note to the Introduction, that one main object of Dr. B. is to shew, from the principal works of the Authors of the Reformation, that some of the doctrines which are so confidently imputed to them by certain enthusiasts of the present day, are most erroneously so imputed. In the Preface we are informed that

"The attention of the Author was, not long since, directed by particular circumstances to a close investigation of the principles of the Reformers of the Established Church of England, and of the state of public opinion, relative to certain controverted points of theological inquiry, at the different dates subsequent to the Reformation, which form, as it were, æras in the ecclesiastical history of the kingdom. He was unwilling to remain altogether idle, when the weakest co-operation might be serviceable to the cause of sound religion; and, that he might not be so, he at first, proposed to put together a short harmony of the chief works which he had consulted. He was desirous to impart to others the satisfaction and instruction he had himself received, in observing the perfect unanimity which prevails between those reverend martyrs, by whose judicious, persevering, and well-expended labour, the foundation of the Protestant Church of this country was actually laid,—and their eminently learned and pious followers, who perfected the plan, áud raised the goodly superstructure which stands, even to the present day, an object of general veneration and regard to the Christian world." Vol. I. p. viii.

And in the note to which we have alluded, in explanation of the Author's use of certain " phrases, which are constantly employed," by those with whom he so widely differs in opinion; additional light is thrown upon the persons with whose doctrines he is at issue. The note itself, though rather long, is so judicious, that we think it proper to extract it.

"The term imputation of Christ's righteousness or merits' has been admitted, because it appeared to the Author to convey, in the most concise manner, a scriptural doctrine,—though the words, so arranged, be not literally scriptural; and because it is used by the fathers of the English Church, as will be seen in the extracts from their works. They too may be supposed to have borrowed it, together with their accurate view of the doctrine of which it is descriptive, from Melancthon.

"That it has been taken advantage of to inculcate a notion very dangerous in its effects, and very incompatible with the principles of the Reformers relative to man's justification, the Author is quite aware; but that it should therefore be totally rejected does not seem necessary or expedient.

"In the Saxon Confession, presented to the Council of Trent in 1551, which was not only written by Melancthon, but was in fact a carefully revised and perfected edition, a repetition'-of the Confession of Augsburg, which he had written some years before, the words, of which these are a literal translation, are found

In explanation of the term to be justified, it is commonly said, To be justified signifies, of unjust to be made just. Which, rightly understood, is perfectly consistent with what has gone before. Of †