We are happy to add, that all this care and acutenefs are exerted in the fervice of a truly found divinity; and that the completeft fcriptural proofs of every important article may be found in thefe divifions. ART. 29. A Sermon, preached in the Chapel of the Foundling Hofpital, on Sunday the 25th of January, 1801. By the Rev. H. B. Wilfon, A. M. Curate of St. Michael's, Baffifbar, Lecturer of the united Parishes of St. Antholin and St. John the Baptift, and UnderMafter of Merchant Taylors School. 8vo. 18 pp. IS. Cadell and Davies. 1801. From a fhort addrefs to the Governors of the Foundling Charity, prefixed to this difcourfe, it appears to have been delivered with a view to the office of a preacher to that refpectable inftitution. It is written with much feeling and judgment, on the very appropriate text, "When my father and my mother forfake me, the Lord taketh, me up." Pfalm xxvii, 12. We shall not, any more than the author, attempt to difpute "the juftice of the criterion by which the Governors regulated their choice;" but it will appear to any candid reader, that a fair claim to their approbation was preferred by Mr. Wilfon, in pronouncing this difcourfe for the benefit of their Charity. ART. 30. A Sermon, preached at Dartford, at the Vifitation of the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Roch fter, on Tuesday, September 30, 1800. By George Robfm, A. M. Rector of Snodland in Kent, and Domeftic Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of Rochefter. Published by his Lordship's Command. 4to. 23 pp. IS. Robfon. 1800. The text of this difcourfe is Acts xiv, part of v. 15, "We also are men of like paffions with you:" and the exordium is a paraphrafe of the text and the context. The preacher then afferts, that these " are times when popular clamour is raised against the clerical character; as it is against every thing which truth has fanctioned, and time has venerated. In the clergy, the flighteft deviation from the moft rigid rule of conduct is protruded for popular obfervation, and held up by the oppofers of Chriftianity as a bugbar to the priesthood, and a reason for rejecting religious establishments." P. 10. The word marked in italics is fcarcely dignified enough for the pulpit, nor even rightly ap plied, if allowable." The frailties attached to humanity," are apofigized for in the prefent teachers of the gofpel, who live (among us) in familiar intercourfe with the reft of mankind; and the boasted perfections, or rather the negative virtues of the cell and the cloister, are difclaimed. A mifconftruction of fome paffages in St. Chryfoftom, and in Bishop Burnet, is thus rectified: "One of the fathers of the Greek church, pro effedly writing on the priesthood, and a dignitary of our own church, difcourfing upon the pastoral care, have, by fome strange misconception of their texts, been made to apply to the individual and perfonal character of the priest, what was merely affirmed of him in relation to his office. It was not perfonal fuperiority in the prieft above the reft of mankind, which thefe authors had in view, but it was the fuperiority and excellence of Spiritual over fecular concerns it was the end of the ministerial office they fought fo highly to exalt, endeavouring to lead mankind to the contemplation of things relating to eternity, in preference to fecular and fublunary concerns teadfait and abounding with zeal for the religion they profeffed, their object was to raife men's conceptions to thofe exalted ideas of perfection, which were the end and object of the Chriftian Revelation. They fought not to establish for the priesthood a veneration for perfonal fanctity, extending beyond the bound and abilities of human nature to fupport." P. 12. The real dignity and duties of the minifterial office are next shown to be marked our in Scripture," by feveral characters and defignations—as labourers in the vineyard, or the harvest; as watchmen, as foldiers, as builders, and as ftewards. Thefe are but figures and fimilitudes to teach us induftry, vigilance, courage, skill, and fidelity in our vocation. It is furely a fallacious way of reafoning to build too much upon figurative difcourfes; they will not anfwer in every particular circumftance; and if they did, yet we can derive no particular diftinctions from them, as they are but the common and ordinary occupations of life." P. 14. The fimilitudes of paftors and hepherds are then properly explained and modified. Some fuitable admonitions are, laftly, deduced to Chriftians in general, and to the clergy in particular. The difcourfe in general will be acceptable to candid readers; though we fhould not be furprized if fome of an oppofite character were to cenfure it, as a vindication of the faults of the clergy. ART. 31. Confiderations on the prefent State of Religion, Speculative and practical, in the Country. 8vo. 25. Hatchard. 1801. man. This fenfible and well-written pamphlet commences with an eulogium on our excellent Liturgy, which we agree with the author in pronouncing as approaching as nearly to perfection as is given to the works of He then proceeds to a difcuffion of the Thirty-nine Articles, or rather of certain of them, defcants on the operation of irreligion and methodism, &c. We think him much too hafty, when he intimates the greater part of our churches in the metropolis are neglected. We have good reafon for believing that this is far from being the fact. The fecond chapter is more immediately on the Liturgy, in which the write: propofes certain omiffions and alterations. The third chapter is on the divine fervice and preaching, and contains fome good and feafonable remarks on decorum of behaviour, and on the accomplishments of a good preacher. Chapter the fourth is on oaths, or rather the abufe of them, and has many pertinent obfervations. In the fifth chapter the writer laments, and with too much truth, that in large towns there is not an adequate number of churches to accommodate the poor. This pamphlet is evidently written by a perfon of great good fenfe, and extenfive obfervation; and although, in fome particulars, we may diffent from his opinions, his publication deferves attentive perufal, and many of his fuggeftions might be adopted with advantage. ART. ART. 32. The Chriftian Preacher; or, Difcourfes on Preaching, by feveral eminent Divines, English and foreign; revifed and abridged, with an Appendix on the Choice of Books. By Edward Williams, D.D. 1200. 4s. 6d. Button. 1800. This is the performance of a diffenting clergyman, but bears evident marks of a candid and liberal mind. The most important and valuable part of the volume is the feventh difcourfe, on the compofition of a fermon, tranflated from the French of M. Claude by the late Mr. Robinson of Cambridge, with an appendix, directing the proper choice of books for a Chriftian preacher's library. He muft, however, be both a diligent and wealthy man, who can either find, or purchase, the large catalogue fpecified. Some books indeed, though defirable by every enlightened reader, feem not immediately effential to a preacher's library; as, for example, Johnson's Poets, 75 vols; Gibbon's Hiftory; and Henry's Hiftory of Great Britain: and, above all, Blackftone's Commentaries, with Townfend's Guide to Health. ART. 33. The Power of Religion on the Mind in Retirement, Affliction, and at the Approach of Death, exemplified in the Teftimonies and Expe rience of Perfons diftinguished by their Greatness, Learning, and Virine. By Lindley Murray. The Tenth Edition, corrected and greatly enlarged. 3s. 6d. Longman and Rees. 1801. We have had frequent occafion to fpeak of the diligence, good fenfe, and good intentions, of Mr. Murray; and we congratulate him fincerely on the fuccefs of this particular work. We announce this edition because the alterations and additions are fo confiderable, that it is rendered almost a new work, the nature of which alterations is explained in the Advertisement placed before the Table of Contents. Twenty-two characters have been added to the work, and much new biographical information is introduced. We do not remember any addition to the " English Reader," mentioned by Mr. Murray; but that work received, as it deserved, our commendation. ART. 34. The Mercy of God efpecially confidered with reference to our prefent Situation. A Sermon, preached at St. Julian's, Shrewsbury, on Sunday, Sept. 14, 1800. By Samuel Butler, M. A. Head-Master of Shrewsbury-School, and late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. 8vo. 24 PP. IS. Eddowes, &c. Shrewsbury; Longman and Rees, London. 1800. We fufpect that this difcourfe was prior in publication to one, by the fame author, which we noticed fome months ago. (vol. xvii. p. 207). Such an inversion of order is not according to our wish; but it will occafionally happen. The prefent writer we well know to deferve attention, and are therefore peculiarly defirous that it fhould be paid. Having explained, in part, why ingratitude to God is more common, and lefs marked with infamy, than any other fpecies of ingratitude, Mr. B. confiders the peculiar mercies of Providence towards this 92 nation through the prefent war. compreffed into a very narrow space. fays this divine, "that fince this country has been engaged in the conteft with anarchy and atheism, the hand of Providence has been manifefted more fingularly in our prefervation, than in any period of equal duration, fince the foundation of the British empire. Our diftinguished naval victories have been gained at periods when the very existence The machinations of our of the country depended on our fuccefs. inteftine foes have been brought to light at the most critical periods, when a few more days would have given them ftrength and energy, which the most vigorous efforts could with difficulty have refifted. The enemy has been repulfed from our fhores, and the life of our beloved fovereign has more than once been preferved from the hand of the af. faffin: and our weakness has been turned into strength, by a union with our fifter kingdom, at the very time when our enemies had hoped, by long-fomented difcord, to feparate us for ever." P. 11. Reflections on the late vifitations of fcarcity follow, with the moft judicious rules for conduct on the fubject. The whole is replete with found fenfe and active piety. In this part, much is very happily "To me I confefs it appears,' LAW. ART. 35. The Spirit of Marine Law; or, Compendium of the Statutes relating to the Admiralty: being a concife, but perfpicuous Abridgment of all the Arts relative to Navigation; alphabetically arranged, and the Subftance and References to the feveral Claufes placed in the Margin. By John Irving Maxwell, of the Honourable Society of the Inner T. C. Temple, and late of the Royal Navy. 8vo. 562 pp. 125. Chapman, &c. The title of this book, though rather fantaftical, fufficiently explains its object, and the plan upon which it is compofed. It is ftated in the Preface, that the first idea of this work originated with Mr. M'Arthur, author of a Treatife upon the fubject of Naval Courts Martial. It was brought down by him to the end of the year 1792, and is continued by Mr. M. to the prefent period. Such a book may be of confiderable utility to naval perfons, though to compofe it requires little more than to pay proper attention to the abridgments and indexes of our ftatutes. Mr. M. feems to have inferted most of the ftatutes relating to his fubject; but he has not included all. Thus, under the title Wandering Mariners or Soldiers, he cites, after 39 Eliz. c. 17, the 17th Geo. II. c. 5. f. 3, by which it was enacted, that foldiers or mariners travelling with a pafs, are not to be deemed vagrants while they continue on their direct way, and during the limited time, of power But he omits to notice 32 Geo. III. c. 44, by which the granting fuch paffes is taken away, and every foldier or mariner wandering about and begging, is to be deemed a rogue and vagabond, Such an omiffion would caufe rather unfortunate confequences to any individual who might be mifled by Mr. M.'s information. POLITICS. POLITICS. ART. 36. Confiderations on the prefent State of Europe with respect to Peace, or a further Profecution of the War. Debrett. 1801. 8vo. 80 pp. 35. So variable are the political circumftances of the prefent period, that a writer who fpeculates upon them, will probably find important changes occur between the commencement and the conclufion of his work, and fhould he, in compliance with fuch changes, model it anew, fome fresh alteration may render his fentiments obfolete before he has publifhed, or at least before we can review them. In the Introduction to this tract, on the ftate of Europe, fome important events are mentioned which have occurred fince it was drawn up, particularly the peace between France and the Emperor, and the Northern Coalition against Great Britain. Thefe, the author obferves, do not much affect his reasonings, as they were foreseen. But fo fpeedy a termination of the northern conteft, and the ftrong appearance of renewed warfare among the great continental powers, could not have been anticipated with fo much confidence. The former renders the author's reafonings on that fubject no longer interelling, and the latter might perhaps have varied the conditions of peace which he takes upon himself to delineate; at least it may render the enemy more complying. This author's general principle, that "Great Britain, to keep her footing with France, muft, as France extends her dominions, increase her colonial poffeffions, and foreign fettlements," appears to us to be juft; how far we fhould agree with him in the detail, it is needless to mention, as the decifion is in the hands of those who alone are refponfible to their country. ART. 37. An Argument against Extermination, occafioned by Dr. Duigenan's Reprefentation of the prefent political State of Ireland. By a Friend to the United Kingdom. 8vo. 85 pp. 2s. 6d. Debrett. 1801. We have more than once had occafion to cenfure the expression of Catholic Emancipation, fo often used by speakers and writers on the affairs of Ireland, as implying that the people of that perfuafion are in a state of flavery. A fimilar objection applies to the title of the treatise before us; fince an argument against extermination implies that fome perfon had argued for it; but, though intemperate expreffions may have fometimes been ufed, no argument of fuch a tendency, to our recollection, appears in the writings of Dr. Duigenan, or indeed of any other author; and furely, without being deemed advocates for extermination, we may be permitted to doubt whether it be prudent to render Catholics eligible to the firft offices of the ftate. Objectionable, however, as the title of this tract appears to us, its contents show it to be the work of a man, neither deficient in candour nor abilities; and, though fome of the facts alledged by him feem quef |