Page images
PDF
EPUB

muft look to the motives which impel men to war, and to their temper in conducting it, in order to form a true judgment of the degree of fanction or prohibition which their undertakings receive from religion."

What then are the objects which we of this country have in view in the prefent arduous conflict? Nothing lefs than the maintenance of our religion, our liberties, our rights: the preservation of our families, our relations, and all the tender endearments of focial life. The fentiment which is engraven on the heart of every Briton at this momentous crifis, the language which he holds, and which is echoed on foreign fhores from the mouths of our cannon, is this, "We will furrender to none our national freedom and independence; we value the bleffings of a reformed religion, and a free conftitution; we will protect them, our families and friends, to the very laft extremity; no ambitious motives inflame our minds, no thirst of revenge rankles in our bofoms, but we will conquer or die in the defence of what we hold moft dear." P. 8.

[ocr errors]

ART. 36. A Sermon preached in Scots Church, London Wall, on Thursday, December 5, 1805, being the Day appointed for a General Thanksgiving. By Robert Young, D.D.

PP. 25. Longman, &c. 1805.

PP:

4to. 24

... Nothing very new appears in the thoughts or arrangement of this thanksgiving fermon: but feveral paffages in it are well expreffed. The picture of the great enemy of Europe is thus drawn.

"From the ruins of an ancient monarchy, and from the afhes of an infant republic, there has arifen a power, not more gigantic In greatnefs, than formidable by its ambition. With a fter, yet watchful eye, towards univerfal domination, the tyrant has loft no opportunity, nor left any means untried, to fubjugate the nations. Regardlefs of juftice, when in the way of his defign, he has trampled without fcruple on the dictates of humanity, and violated the laws of honour and of nations. With the most implacable refentment, and unparalleled fuccefs, has he hitherto purfued his fanguinary career. "But when the voice out of the Temple of Heaven, from the Throne fhali fay, it is done,' then that which is determined fhall come*.". P. 15,

[ocr errors]

We do not think him equally happy, when he compares the Emperor of the Gauls to a tiger, and accumulates metaphors to that effect, which are rather difgufting. We could object alfo to particular expreffions in various parts of this difcourfe; and cannot refrain from telling the author, that profanity, which he ufes in p. 20, is not an English word. There is, however, more to

[blocks in formation]

praife, on the whole, than to blame; and the patriotifm of the preacher feems to be no lefs vigorous than his piety.

ART. 37. An Addrefs to Methodists, and to all other honeft Chrif tians, who confcientiously fecede from the Church of England. By the Rev. W. Cockburn, M. A. Fellow of St. John's Col lege, Cambridge, and Chriftian Advocate in that University. 8vo. 24 pp: 15. 6d. Univerfity Prefs. Hatchard, &c. London, 1805,

Nothing can be more truly creditable to its author than this addrefs. It is clear and argumentative, yet of a truly Chriftian fpirit. It admonishes, but reviles not; and, by an able mode of confideration, throws light on feveral fubjects. The author

ftates the evils arifing from the difunion of Chriftians, and con tends, that it cannot be necessary for any person to fecede from the Church of England, unless the can be proved to impofe any finful terms of communion; and refers to Mr. Cobbold's argu ments against Dr. Gill on this fubject. But the three principal points on which he dwells, as the chief caufes of feceflion, are our church government, our prescribed forms of prayer,, and our difallowance of lay-preaching. Under the first head, he urges with great force, and clearness, the arguments for the apoftolical origin of Bifhops. But the part which appears to us the most original, is that in which he reafons against extemporaneous preach ing, alledging, that it tends to mislead the people into a falfe idea of the preacher's infpiration.

"I have pointed out my objections to extemporaneous prayer• I now enter my proteft against all extemporaneous preacn ing. Many indeed of our own communion, and all of yours, adopt this cuftom; but I humbly conceive hat it must be wro because it is deceitful. We know by experience, that the com mon people, the major part of every congregarion, confider the power of preaching without any written alliitance to be an ecia! gift from God.. This opinion of theirs is abfurd; but fill it is their opinion. You know and are convinced, my chriftian brethren, who preach extempore, that thefe people focow you and attend to you, because they fuppofe this talent to be a p proof of God's Spirit refiding in you, and fpeaking from mouth. Surely, Mr. . . . . . must be right,” said a en, man to a friend of mine; "he muft fpeak the tryJefus Chrift; for he preached two hours without lege book or a paper."-This is not the fentiment of norant man, but of the very great majority of fond of hearing unwritten fermnons. Unless they pains to convince them that your fluency of fortun quence only of human exertion, (which yourteous amate be the fact,) you acquire a spiritual dominion over ut!.. 4

ceit; you allow them to accept your opinions, your human, fal. lible opinions, as the fure and unerring dictates of God's holy Spirit.-Beware, my brethren, left you fin again that holy Spirit!

It

"Many pious and good men who adopt this cuftom will smile, perhaps, at the ftrength of this expreffion; they will fay, that they do not affume to themselves any miraculous power, any divine gift of utterance fuperior to what is given to man." is true they probably do not affume it; but they know, and are convinced, that others believe them to poffefs it, and therefore follow them, and carefs them, and almost worship them as gods. Are they fedulous and anxious, like St. Paul, to cry out, "I alfo am but a man." Unless they do, unless they frequently and anequivocally explain to their audience that they have acquired the power of extemporaneous fpeaking by practice and attention, in fhort, by human means; unless, I fay, they explain this carefully to their followers, they deceive, and they know that they deceive.

"There are, I fear, fome few filly men who really believe that they are infpired, and that they have acquired a fluency of utterance by the miraculous affiftance of the Holy Spirit. Though thefe men may be in grofs and dangerous error, though they may deceive themfelves and others, yet they cannot be charged with dishonesty. I addrefs myfelf, however, to the rational and thoughtful pastors of the diffenters, who know well, that with much diligence and labour they have acquired their power of public fpeaking; who know, that even now they can fcarcely pretend to equal the fluency and accuracy of a Pitt or a De mofthenes; who know, in short, and allow, that they are not gifted by God with any fupernatural gift. If then, I repeat, fuch a man induces or allows his audience to believe that he is fo gifted, he deceives, and he knows that he deceives. It is in vain he urges that he intends not to produce any fuch an effect. If he knows that fuch an action will produce fuch an effect, by doing shat action he intends to produce that effect. Thofe, therefore, who know that by their cuftom of extemporaneous preaching they will induce others to believe them infpired by the Spirit of God, commit a fin of no common magnitude." P. 15.

There is much more in this fmall tract which well deferves at. tention.

ART. 38. Obfervations on the Plan for Training the People to the Ufe of Arms, with Reference to the Subject of Sunday DrilLing. By Thomas Gisborne, M. A. 8vo. 20 pp. Price 15.

25.

Cadell and Davies. 1806.

Truly worthy of its valuable author is the tract at prefent before It contains no rant, no fanaticism, no Warnerian denial of

[blocks in formation]

the lawfulness of felf-defence, or of the measures neceffary to that end. All is temperate, rational, and important: respectful to the legiflature, and only urgent on points of real moment to fociety and to religion. The juftifiablenefs and the propriety of employing the Sabbath for military purposes," fays Mr. Gisborne, when fuch an employment of that day is required by overruling neceffity, I unequivocally acknowledge." The unlawfulness, and the pernicious confequences of fo employing it, with out that neceffity, are the points for which he contends; and he fhows, with the utmost clearness, that under the new regulations, fuch a neceffity could not exift.

The tract was published when the new regulations were yet before Parliament, and to thofe has its chief reference; but it can never be obfolete, fo long as it fhall be left to the choice of confcientious men, whether they fhall, without neceffity, employ the Chriftian Sabbath to fecular purposes. The negative.is here completely established,

MISCELLANIES,

ART. 39. Colonel Thornton's Tranfactions and Negociations with Robert Chriftic Burton, Efq. legally, morally, and liberally confidered. 8vo. 144 PP. 2s. 6d. Goddard. 1806.

A ftrong cafe is here made out for the Colonel. But, whatever degree of attention this affair may have excited in what is commonly called the fashionable world, we much doubt whether the public in general will think half a crown well fpent in purchafing, and an hour and a half in perufing this collection of evidence, concerning the fair fale of horfes, dogs, pictures, and claret, and the difcarding of a kept mistress.

ART. 40. Summary Account of the Viceroyalty of Buenos Ayres, or La Plata, including its Geographical Pofition, Climate, Aspect of the Country, Natural Productions, Commerce, Government, and State of Society and Manners, extracted from the beft Authori ties. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Dulau. 1806.

It might be expected, that many fuch publications as the prefent would appear, when Buenos Ayres is fo much the subject of converfation and curiofity. There is no objection to the mode of this, which appears to be compiled with fufficient care. A Aight map would have made it more acceptable.

ART. 41. The French Anas. 3

Vols. 12mo. 153, Philips. 1805.

The French Anas abound with fo much interefting and amufing matter, that a judicious compilation from them cannot fail of

being generally acceptable. The prefent is a very entertaining publication, and the editor appears to have performed his office of tranflator and compiler, with strong claims to praife. A fhort sketch of the life and writings of each author is prefixed to the fpecimen of his works, and it may be affirmed, without referve, that whoever gives this felect on a place in his library, may at all times be fecure of spending an hour with profit and with pleasure. A fimilar work was published fome time ago, in two volumes.

MONTHLY LIST OF PUBLICATIONS.

DIVINITY.

The Fall of eminent Men, in critical Periods, a National Calamity. A Sermon, preached at the Gravel Pit Meeting, Hackney, on Sunday, Sept. 21, 1806, on occafion of the recent Death of the Right Hon. C. J. Fox. By Robert Afpland. 1s.

A few Notes on a Letter to the Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of England, and on a Charge recently delivered by the Archdeacon of Sarum, relative to Jofeph Lancaster's Plan for the Education of the lower Orders of the Community. By Ec.

[blocks in formation]

Trial of Anti-Chrift, otherwife the Man of Sin. By a Friend of St. Peter. 2s. 6d.

The English Liturgy a "Form of found Words," A Sermon, delivered in the Parish Churches of St. Bene't, Gracechurch, St. Mary, Stoke-Newington, and St. Mary, Ilington. By George Gafkin, D. D.

IS.

Additions in the second Edition of the "Order for the Vifi. tation of the Sick, from the Book of Common Prayer," &c. containing fome Obfervations and Vifits, relative to the administering of the Lord's Supper to the Sick Perfon. Printed feparately, for the Convenience of thofe who have purchafed the firft Edition. 6d.

PHILOSOPHY.

The Independent Man; or an Effay on the Formation and Developement of thofe Principles and Faculties of the Human Mind, which conftitute moral and intellectual Excellence. By George Enfor, Efq. 2 Vols. 8vo. 18s.

Tranfactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. First Part of Vol. VI. 4to. 9s.

An Introduction to the Study of Moral Evidence, or of that Species of Reafoning which relates to Matters of Fact and Prac

« PreviousContinue »