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Art. 48. The Impolicy and Impiety of Sunday Drill considered. 12mo.
6d. Ogle.
Ogle.

If Christians reflected on the spirit of the maxim given by Christ respecting the nature and purport of the Sabbath, "The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath," it would correct their Judaical prejudices and enthusiastic notions, and assist them in the right application of that day. To the writer of the little pamphlet before us, we recommend the serious consideration of this text, which may serve to abate the severity of his remarks. He terms the Sunday Drill a heaven-daring sin,' and asserts that the profanation of the Sabbath is thus made a part of the law of the land.' Is he, however, justified in this violent condemnation of the measure? If a Jew was allowed to save his ox or his ass on the Sabbath day, is a Christian to be precluded the use of those means which prudence deems requisite to save his country in a season of extreme peril? Shall we, like the Jews, when Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans, endanger our country by an unfounded superstition respecting the Sabbath? Where is the harm of our combining, on that day, services expressive of our love to God and our love to our King and Country? To us it appears that no more impolicy or impiety is displayed by the Sunday Drill, properly conducted, than by the Sunday School; though this writer considers the former as displaying equal enormity with the Slave Trade. Should it be necessary, at a peace, for us to remain an armed nation, (which the formidable atti tude of our rival may require) it will be good policy, one Sunday probably in every month, for the Volunteers of every parish to muster on their drill ground, to go through some manœuvres previously to divine worship, to march thence to church, and there in the capacity of Christian soldiers to evince their gratitude to God and devotedness to the welfare of their country.

Art 47. Journal Historique et Religieux de l'Emigration, et Dépor tation du Clergé de France en Angleterre. Contenant les Sentimenta expressifs de sa Reconnoissance, offerts en Hommage à sa Majesté Georges III. à son Gouvernement, et à la Nation Britannique pour les Bienfaits généreux qu'il en a reçus jusqu'à ce Jour. Dédié à sa Majesté le Roi d'Angleterre (par sa Permission). Par M. l'Abbé de Lubersac, Vicaire-Général de Narbonne, Abbé de Noirlac, et Prieur Royal de St Martin de Brive: Emigré François, &c. i. e. An Historical Journal of the Emigration and Transportation of the Clergy of France into England, &c. &c. &c. Svo. IOS. 6d. sewed. Nicol, Dulau, &c.

The greater part, indeed nearly the whole, of the class of persons of which an account is here given, have returned to France to resume their functions under the Concordat. The testimony borne to the good conduct of the individuals who resided among us is, we be lieve, strictly correct; and it is with great pleasure that we state the full credit which we give to it, as well as the satisfaction which we feel while reflecting on the munificent liberality of the government and of the public, towards men whom their functions and their sufferings sendered interesting and respectable. If, at the time, some of our

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divines were actuated by former enmity against the Romish hierarchy, and occasionally dealt in harsh language, which was certainly not a little incongruous with the cordial hospitality shewn by the nation towards guests whom the savage barbarism of its neighbours had thrown on its generosity, there were others of the highest reputation, and of nearly the highest rank, who appeared disposed most closely to fraternize with the exile priesthood, openly giving them a decided preference over certain protestants. Neither persecution from the common enemy, nor the experience of Christian treatment, nor professions of Christian charity on the part of our church, can, however, extort from the Gallican clergy any thing like an admission of the Christianity of their benefactors: but they speak to them, and of them, when expressing their gratitude, as they would have done had they been heathens. When these reverend persons allude in bitter terms to their persecutors, they do not seem to recollect that the conduct, which they so justly censure, does not fall short of that which their predecessors shewed towards the protestants at the memorable epoch of the repeal of the edict of Nantes. We should have been glad to have met with some admission of the injustice of that proceeding, some expression of regret at its ever having happened: but nothing of the kind escapes their lips; they part with no atom of their superstition; and there appears no symptom of their having grown more tolerant, or less bigotted. With them, salvation continues to be still confined to the Romish pale, and they afford us no hope of gaining admission to heaven without the passport of the Pope. They publish in this country the doctrine of the Council of Trent, the most offensive to Protestants of all the papal councils, and which the old government of France never would allow to be received in that country; and they prefix to this compendium a complimentary letter to one of our titular bishops. There were persons of very high rank, and no doubt of the best character, among those who emigrated to this country: but there do not appear to have been among them any who were very eminent for learning. Indeed, learning seems to have been for some time very much on the decline in the Gallican church.

Art. 50. The Anti Gallican; or Standard of British Loyalty, Religion, and Liberty; including a Collection of the principal Papers, Tracts, Speeches, Poems, and Songs, that have been published on the threatened Invasion; together with many original Pieces on the same Subject. 8vo. pp. 5co. 7s. 6d. Boards Vernor and Hood. 1804.

This political olio consists of a vast number of ingredients, of various flavour, but altogether forming a dish which must be agreeably seasoned to the taste of every patriotic Englishman at this juncture. Many of the materials would be well relished, separately taken; particularly those called Songs, most of which are good of their kind.

Art. 51. Affecting Narrative of the Deposition, Trial, and Execution of Louis XVI. with interesting Particulars of the Trials and Execution of the Queen of France, and Princess Elizabeth; and the premature Death of the Dauphin. 12mo. IS. Neil, SomersTown, and all other Booksellers.

A cheap

Jo.

G. 2.

A cheap selection of the principal facts relative to the tragical events specified in the title; derived from the journal of the faithful Clery, the King's valet, and from the writings of M. Montjoye, Dr. Moore, and others.

FAST SERMONS, Oct. 19, 1803.

Art. 52. Divine Judgments on guilty Nations; their Causes and Ef fects considered: delivered at Newport in the Isle of Wight, before a Congregation of Protestant Dissenters, on the late Fast Day: by Robert Aspland. With a Preface and Notes containing Remarks on our National Sins, and an Inquiry into the Justice of the present War, in reply to the Observations of Messrs. Hall, Fuller, &c. in their late Sermons on public Affairs. By Benjamin Flower. Svo. 2s. Conder.

A discourse peculiarly adapted to a day of national humiliation, and to the purport of the Fast-day as expressed in the Royal Procla mation. With the boldness of an antient seer, and in a style truly serious and impressive, Mr. Aspland addresses himself, not so much to the humble individuals of his little congregation, as to the national conscience; and by manfully exposing and skilfully probing those sins which may be justly termed national, he endeavours to produce that amendment of our national character, without which, under the moral government of God, we cannot expect his blessing in the awful crisis of our public affairs. Who can survey his catalogue of our sins without gloomy apprehension? In the present shaking of nations and trying visitations of Providence, can we expect to escape his judgments and corrections? The preacher accuses us of an eagerness for WAR, and charges on us as a crime the Alliance of the Christian Religion with the Civil Power; he then bids us look to our treatment of Ireland; to our treacherous and bloody conquests in the East-Indies; to our Slave-Ships, and to the slavery which we cherish in the West Indies ;-to the multiplied oaths which abound in every department of our civil and ecclesiastical administration;-and to the severity of our Penal Laws. That our conduct as a nation has, in some of the instances here enumerated, been at variance with the principles which we avow as Christians, cannot be denied; and if, in the appointed season of public humiliation, we do not repent of them, the solemn appeal to heaven by prayer is something worse than an idle farce and solemn mockery. At this alarming juncture, Mr. A. does not discuss questions relative to the war, but exposes the opprobrious parts of our national character, that we may be roused to avert the judgments of God hanging over us. We cannot however perceive that he cherishes much hope of our repentance; he rather seems to anticipate the application of a terrible remedy, and only consoles himself by looking forwards to the future purposes of Infinite Benevolence. An introductory address contains some sensible Remarks on Fasting.-Mr. Flower, in the preface, animadverts with keenness on Mr. Hall's view of national sins, and has cer tainly suggested remarks which, though far from complimentary, are well deserving of that reverend gentleman's attention: but we

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shall

shall excuse ourselves from farther discussion of the merits of Mr.
Hall's sermon. In the Notes, which are given as comments on cer-
tain passages of Mr. Aspland's sermon, Mr. Flower condemns the
present war as unnecessary and unjust, accuses the ministers of hypo-
crisy, and is of opinion that Mr. Fuller and other preachers have
with precipitancy entered on the vindication of the war, as instituted
purely on the grounds of self-defence. He quotes Mr. Hall's former
opinions on the Union between Church and State, adverts also to the situation
State of Ireland, to the Slave Trade, to our enormities in India, and
concludes with charging a plagiarism on Mr. Hall, which we had
not observed.

Art. 53. Preached on the Day appointed to be observed as a Fast
Oct. 19, 1803. By the Rev. John Clarke, LL. B. 4to. IS.
R. Baldwin.

Being in a probationary state, in which calamity is made the instrument of punishing vice and of exercising virtue, we are taught by this preacher to regard the present eondition of the country as an awful summons to religious consideration and virtuous exertion. Trusting (we will not say with what reason) that the present divine visitation is intended rather as a moral trial, than as a punishment of our guilt, Mr. C. exhorts his countrymen to humility, contrition, prayer, and trust in God, the discharge of our religious duty being the best preparative for meeting the enemy without fear. The hazard to which we are now called to submit our ease, fortune, and lives, for the public safety, is represented as the probation of our virtue. In this, therefore, Britons! fail not.

Other SINGLE SERMON S. Art. 54 The Case of Hezekiah considered as a Ground of Consolation, and a Motive to Union in Prayer, at this present alarming State of the King's Health, and of the British Empire; preached at Woburn Chapel, Feb. 26, 1804, by the Rev. G. A. Thomas, LL.D. 8vo. Is. Rivingtons.

A loyal, patriotic, and pious effusion on the interesting subjects. mentioned above. We extract part of a note, relative to the miraculous sign which had been requested by the Jewish monarch :--The precise manner in which this sign was wrought can only be conjectured. That the miracle did not consist in a reversing the earth's rotation, but was,confined to the country of Judea, is plain from the original term, which limits its extent to that land then spoken of. It was effected, probably, by the refraction of a cloud, miraculously interposed between the sun and the gnomon of the dialplate. Nor does this suggestion lessen the importance of the sign itself, as an evidence of the prophet's divine inspiration and veracity; for though the effect might be thus produced by natural means, yet the wonder still remains, that a cloud, or body of air, of different density from the common atmosphere, should be brought on the sun dial at a particular instant previously announced by the prophet. A similar effect is mentioned to have been produced at Metz, in Alsace, in the beginning of the eighteenth century; where, says Rosenmuller, by the refraction of a cloud, the shadow of the gnomon

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Art. 55. Adapted to the Circumstances of the present interesting Crisis,
preached at Chiswick, Sept. 4, 1803; published by particular
Desire, and dedicated to the Society for the Suppression of Vice.
By Thomas Horne, D. D. Master of Chiswick School. 8vo. 18.
Rivingtons.

Assuming the undeniable principle intimated in the text (Rom. viii.. 31.) that dependence on God is the only sure dependence, and that all human skill and power must be inadequate to our happiness and protection without the concurrence of the divine favour, Dr. Horne proceeds to state the means by which this favour is to be secured, or to inculcate conformity to the will of God as the only way of obtaining his blessing on individuals and nations. He regards the present awful crisis as demanding from ministers of Christ the most energetic exhortations to practical religion and virtue; and with commendable zeal he avails himself of this opportunity of "lifting up his voice like a trumpet, and of shewing the people of this land their rying sins and transgressions." He instances covetousness, oppression, injustice, extortion, dishonesty, pride, malice, revenge, intemperance, fornication, adultery, and murder, as sins which peculiarly subject nations to the divine displeasure; and in the list of our immoralities he places the general neglect of the Christian sabbath, and expresses a pointed disapprobation of the dismantling the Sabbath of one-half of its sanctity. Some may object to Dr. Horne's particular remon strances on this subject, that he does not appear to have fully considered the liberty in which Christians are left in this respect by the Gospel; and that he has not sufficiently discriminated between the Jewish and the Christian sabbath, though they are certainly very different institutions.

Art. 56.

Preached in the Parish Church of St. Mary, Newington, Surrey, 16th October 1803, before Lieutenant-Colonel Gaitskell, of the First Regiment of Surrey Volunteers, &c. By Robert Dickinson, Curate. 4to. 15. Rivingtons.

If Mr. Dickinson employs some disjointed and incongruous metaphors in describing our patriotic sentiments he yet writes with feeling, and considers Divine Providence at the present season as making trial of our attachment to loyalty, virtue, and religion.

Art. 57.
Union and Firmness, Perseverance, and Trust in God neces
sary for the Defence of the Country; and to form the finished Cha
racter of its Defenders. Preached before the Regiment of Royal
Westminster Volunteers, on the Re-Presentation of their Colours,
in the Parish Church of St. Clement Danes, Sept. 8, 1803. By
the Rev. Jos. Jefferson, A. M. F.A. S. Chaplain of the Regiment.
4to.
1s. 6d. Robson.

The ordinary social affections are considered by this preacher as only pleasing episodes in human life' but patriotism he dignifies with the appellation of a grace,' proceeding from a ray of the divine essence. Having thus produced the pedigree of Patriotism, he next compliments the Royal Volunteers for their noble and coura

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