tions, the treasures of the Convention are contended to be not inexhaustible; as the last violence has already been recurred to, and neither the images of Saints can be again melted down, nor the p operty of emigrants a fecond time confifcated. France muft, in the judgment of this writer, arrive at fome point of recollection; as fo great a dereliction of religion cannot eventually fucceed, and fo manifeft a defiance of Providence cannot poffefs any permanent fecurity. DIVINITY. ART. 26. The Cenfequences of the Vice of Gaming, as they affect the Welfare of Individuals, and the Stability of civil Government, confideret. A Sermon preached in the Cathedral Church of Winchejter, by Thomas Rennel, A. M. Prebendary of Winton, and Rector of St. Magnus, London Bridge. Svo. 66 pp. 15. Rivingtons, &c. 1794. God is in his judgments flow, as he is juft; nor is it, therefore, 'till it becomes evident to his omnifcience that all ordinary modes of warning will be vain, that he fends forth his inexorable judgments again depravity and impiety. While the heart is not become callous, when all moral feeling is not wholly obliterated, fuch torrents of manly and dignified, though vehement eloquence, fuch remonftrances, replete with all the fire of a truly Chriftian zeal, as are here poured out, against the most degrading and deftructive of our fashionable vices, muft have ftrong effect. If they are fent forth unheeded, the cafe is alarmingly defperate; and we must look to the tremendous confequences. It is not only that this excellent writer demonftrates, fpecifically and exactly, the total oppofition of gaming to all private virtue and public profperity,-he paints with, truth. He brings from the haunts of this demon fuch pictures of depravity, and of the total wreck of all benevolence private and public, as carry their own evidence with them, in what we all fee and know:-Know, that, though moft dreadful, they are not in the leaft exaggerated. One branch of gaming, however, as not immediately connected with his fubject, he has not touched; which is commercial gaming, the risk of all property, and the risk of all honour in fpeculations and adventures calculated to make rapid fortunes, or to end in fudden mifery. This vice, which may fairly be derived from the other, and produces or depends on the fame ftate of mind, is unhappily but too prevalent, and deferves a feparate remonftrance, which we should wish to fee from the fame powerful pen. It is difficult to felect where all is admirable; but the following apotrophe to the miniftry, on the nature of their prefent task, may difplay, as well as any paffage, the spirit and energy of the writer. "We have in the best ages much vice to reform, much calamity 10 comfort, much ignorance to enlighten, much wilfulness to fubdue-but, O gracious God! in thefe times how is the arduous task increased, how are our best exertions called for-to recover from Atheism Atheism and anarchy a perishing and finking world, to counteract thofe feeds of revolt from God, which have fhaken the foundations of civil fociety, and deluged Europe with feas of human bloodhow intenfe should be our charity, how fervent our afpirations, how wakeful our conduct, how inceffant our prayers"! P. 56. With this fpecimen, we leave our readers to feek further for themselves: their fearch will be rewarded, ART. 27. The Sword is the Lord's. A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of Daventry, Sunday, January 19th 1794. By the Rev. Samuel Humfrays, B. D. Student of Christ Church, Oxford, and Minifter of Daventry. 8vo. 28 pp. 1s. Dicey and Co. Northampton; Cullingworth, Daventry. 1794. Good fenfe and unaffected piety are confpicuous in this difcourfe. After illuftrating from fcriptural hiftory the great trath, that war is a judgment of God, he starts the very interefting and important queftion, how far this nation may rely on being lefs depraved than its adverfary," To the Jews it feemed a thing incomprehenfible that they who made their boast of the law of God, &c.——should be driven out by an army of idolaters." Thus we alfo may imagine, that we shall not be chaftifed by a people more wicked than ourfelves: but, fays the preacher, "Let us rather confider whether we may not have fufficiently provoked the avenging band of God upon ourfelves? if fo, the fuperior iniquity of our foes is no fecurity to us" and he adds, very judiciously, that fuch a judgment is more fevere than ordinary, it debafes while it ftrikes, for certainly the vileness of the inftrument adds to the indignity of the punishment." On this confideration he prepared his hearers for the Fast-day then approaching, telling them really to humble themselves on that day. and not fay" in the spirit of Pharifaifm, God we thank thee that we are not as others, whereas we ought to fmite our breafts and say, God be merciful to us miferable finners." This is useful reflection, and found advice. The text is Ezek. xxxiii. 7. ART. 28. The Christian's Consolation in the Hour of Domestic Diflrefs. A Difcourfe read to the Author's Family, foon after the Death of a beloved and most affectionate Wife, who died in Child-bed. By a Layman. 8vo. 43 Pp. 15. Rivingtons. 1793. A fenfible and pious improvement of a great domeftic calamity. The intention which the author announces of devoting the gain upon this pamphlet to charitable purposes, may operate in addition to its internal merit, in recommending it to the favour of the public. ART. 29. A Sermon against Jacobinical and Puritanical Reformations, recommending Unanimity and Loyalty to the Ecclefiaftical and Civil Government of this Kingdom. Preached on Friday, the 19th of April 1793. By Fletcher Dixon, A. M. Vicar of Duffield, and Chaplain of the 34th Regiment, 8vo. 21 pp. is. Chesterfield, Bradley: London, Rivingtons. 1794. Something Something must be indulged in every crifis of public danger for that intemperance which alarm will inevitably produce. The author of this fermon would, we think, upon revifal, difcover fome things which might have been expreffed with lefs paffion and more propriety. The Church of England is compatible with the moft liberal toleration; and this is in our judgment among the many strong arguments for its continuance. Diffent, therefore fhould not univerfally be pronounced "apoftacy;" nor fhould it be affirmed of the whole community of Diffenters that their "Teachers are illiterate." That part of the body from which the Church of England has moft to apprehend, is nothing less than "illiterate:" and a very confiderable portion of Quakers, Calviniftic Diffenters, &c. without a violent defect of liberality, be charged with either apoftacy from christianity, or hoftility to the conftitution of this country. ART. 30. cannot Plain and Practical Lectures on each Chapter of the Gospels, partly felected from Authors, but chiefly original, delivered to the Children of a Sunday School, and equally calculated for Parents and Mafters of Families, for the religious Inftruction of their Children and Servants. By a country Clergyman. 25. Bath, Crutwell. London, Rivingtons. 1794. This little volume presents a very fimple and concise analysis of the evangelical writings. The mode adopted is by drawing out the fenfe of each chapter into a brief and familiar lecture. This plan is very well adapted to the capricious difpofitions of children whofe attention cannot long be fecured by a grave discourse. The ftile is judiciously reduced to the level of ordinary comprehenfions, and the fentiment is animated with that devotional warmth, which must recommend the work effectually to those, who wish to encourage the growth of piety in the rifing generation. ART. 31. A Difcourfe delivered at Taunton Sept. 3, 1793, before the Society of Unitarian Christians, established in the West of England, for promoting Chriftian Knowledge, and the Practice of Virtue, and the Dif tribution of Books. By T. Kenrick. 12mo. 6d. Johnson, 1794. This is a temperate and fenfible difcourfe, in which the ufual arguments in favour of Unitarianifm are perfpicuously arranged, and the views of the Society to whom it is addreffed, recommended and enforced. ART. 32. Devotional Offices for Public Worship, collected from various Services in ufe among Proteftant Diffenters. To which are added, Two Services chiefly felected from the Book of Common Prayer. 8vo. Sa-, lifbury Collins. The compilers, in a well-written preface, inform their readers, that the prefent volume confifts of ten different fervices, eight of which have been principally compiled from devotional offices, already in ufe among fome Societies of Proteftant Diffenters; to which are added, two fervices, chiefly selected from the book of Common Prayer. It can hardly be neceffary for us to fay more, than that the book is very neatly and correctly printed, and cannot fail of being acceptable to thofe for whose use it was intended. ART. 33. Prophetic Vifion; or Daniel's great Image of the Myftical Body of Babylon, fhewing the approaching Deftruction of Antichrift, the Beast, the Whore, and the false Prophet, according to Rev. xix. xx. demonftrated from the Prophecies of Daniel, and confirmed by the figns of the times. Accompanied with a large Hieroglyphical Print of the Figure, explained and illuminated. 8vo. 2s. 6d. London. Terry. 1794. Whether the print is to help off the pamphlet, or the pamphlet the print, we are unable to fay; thus much we may venture to affirm, that both may well be reckoned among the many incomprehenfible things of the day, which may probably render the prefent age the pity or the fcorn of pofterity. ART. 34. A Letter to Francis Plowden Efq. Conveyancer of the Middle Temple, on bis Work entitled Jura Anglorum, by a Roman Catholic Clergyman. 8vo. 230, pp. 2s. 6d. Coghlan, &c. M. Plowden is here attacked on very different grounds from those affumed in the letter entitled the Malecontent. There his defection from his own principles laid down in the Jura Anglorum is cenfured; here fome of the principles of the Jura Anglorum are condemned, as inconfiftent with the Doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, of which Mr. P. profeffes himself a fincere member. In his fubfequent changes he furely has not approached nearer to the Rules of his Church; and this correfpondent, who profeffes to argue with him only on the data of the infallibility of that Church, and who avows himself a divine of that communion, will probably be ftill lefs inclined to grant him indulgence. The chief point difputed by this antagonist, is the right of every man to choose his own religion: he allows the power, but denies the right to choose heretically. He also argues on effablishments. p. 45. On the Revolution the letter-writer fpeaks as is confiftent with his general declarations concerning himself. my part I can never acquiefce in believing that the fimple and unqualified approbation of the principles of the revolution, which banish the Catholic religion for ever from this realm, can be given by a Catholic, confiftently with the duties either of honour or confcience: though I no ways judge it neceffary for catholics to reprobate every measure that was taken by the nation at that time." p. 116. This is followed by an historical View of the Revolution. In the conclufion however he compliments Mr.P. on his ftaunch Catholicity on two points, which he fays, "fully convinces me of what I have all along believed, that the errors of your Jura Anglorum are the flights of an exuberant imagina "For tion, but in no manner a deviation of heart from Catholic principles and doctrine." Without applying the queftion to Mr. Plowden, it is furely a curious topic of enquiry, how a ftaunch Roman Catholic can be a democrat? yet fuch are the everlasting inconfiftencies of the human mind, that this union is far from being a thing unheard of. ART. 35. A Sermon preached February 28, 1794, being the Day ap pointed for a general Faft. By J. Brand. Cl. M. A. 4to. 25. pp. is. Clarke. 1794. The awful fubject which has fo long occupied the thoughts of all reflecting men, has produced in various ways, by means of their efforts, treafures of inftruction and wifdom. This enlightened fcholar, after deploring and painting, in the moft ftriking manner, the unexpected calamities of the times, draws a parallel, from the Hiftory of Jofephus, between the fanaticism of falfe liberty that led the Jews into their final destruction, and the fimilar spirit prevailing at this period. This representation, which is fkilfully and exactly given, is followed by able reflections on fuch fanaticism, and the dreadful duplicity of thofe who affect to teach equality in its right fenfe, while they know that it is received by the multitude in the wrong. To thefe reflections are added a picture of the vices of this time and nation, and a recommendation of the virtues which are calculated to bring down bleffings on us. The whole difcourfe has much vigour, and much wisdom. The author reafons juftly and profoundly; but feldom declaims. ART. 36. A plain Defence of the prefent War. In a Sermon preached at the Cathedral Church of Winchefter on the late general Faft, Feb. 28. 1794. By the Rev. Edmund Poulter, M. A. 4to. 26. pp. 1s. Cadell, &c. 1794. This Sermon is faid, at the bottom of the title-page, to be a continuation of that by the fame author, on the Crifis of December 1792*. It is, however, on another text, and is written in a fuperior ttyle. The author confiders the prefent war as a neceffary effort in defence of our liberty and independence. If", fays he " it be an undoubted act of tyranny for any one Country to interfere in the internal government of another, with original offence (not as we now do, at most, with a return of offence, which is, as before stated, no more than defence) or for the rest of the world fo to interfere with any one country; when the cafe is reversed, as now; by what name are we to call the prefent declarations and acts of Hoftility by France against the reft of the world? the nearest name that we have for it is Perfecution: and furely in thefe times of general toleration, mankind at large who, would not be the perfecutors of any one nation, will still lefs fubmit to be perfecuted by it. No, there is only one fpecies of toleration which we hope never to fee prevail, which, as it would be a contradiction * See Brit. Critic, vol. I. p. 219. |