DIVINITY. ART. 27. A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Rochester; and published at their Requeft. By John Law, D. D. Archdeacon of 8vo. Rochefter. 19 pp. 15. Payne. 1797. A very unaffuming, liberal, and feafonable addrefs. The Arch. deacon most truly ftates, that "at no time were the clergy ever required to manifeft a greater degree of zeal, nor to temper it with more difcretion." He fuggefts a very neceffary and ufeful caution (drawn from the revolution of France, the profcription of the clerical body, and the annihilation of all the rites of religion) against "that turbulent fpirit, which is envious of pre-eminence, reftlefs for innovation, and which is regardless both of private and public diftrefs, in the accomplishment of its end." He notices "the futile objection against the interference of Providence, in confequence of the fucceffes of a country, that, at one time, renounced all dependence on any divino fupport." The principal topic of the Charge is then adverted to; namely," the abfolute rejection of the faith of Chrift, in a country, which has, in paft times, been rigidly obfervant of all the ceremonials of religion." The ultimate advantages of this great event, are conjectured in a way, which appear to us not altogether unobjection-> able, (pp. 13, &c.) The conclufion is foundly practical, and "the regular attendance of the clergy at the annual vifitations," with their kind acceptance of the Archdeacon's ftrenuous endeavours to discharge his duty, are honourable to both the parties. ART. 28. Repentance and Reformation, the Conditions of Mercy. Twa Difcourfes delivered to a Country Congregation, on the 8th of March, 1797, the Day appointed by Royal Authority for a general Faft throughout the Nation. To which are added, a short Difcourfe 10 Servants, on the Morning of the Faft; and an occafional Prayer for the Ufe of Chriflian Families; fuited to the Circumftances of the Times. By the Rev. Sir Adam Gordon, Bart. Rector of Weft Tilbury, Effex. 8vo. 65. pp. 15. Stockdale. 1797. Thefe difcourfes are plain, proper, and very feasonable; and the prayers fubjoined, " on the alarm of an invafion of our coafts," are truly pious and christian, ART. 29. Daniel's Seventy Weeks. A Sermon preached at SimChapel, on Sunday Afternoon, September 18, 1796, to the Jews. By William Cooper, being his Second Addrefs to that People. The Third Edition, Svo, 32 pp. 6d. Chapman. 1796. ART. 30. "How fall Man be juftified with God." A Third Sermon, preached at Sion-Chapel, Whitchapel, on Sunday Evening, March 19, 1797, to the Jews. By William Cooper. 8vo. 6d. Wilkins. London. 1797. 28 PP. The most prominent feature in these fermons, is the preacher's earnest defire for the converfion of the Jews, We cannot fay what effect his preaching preaching had upon the illiterate, among that wonderful people; but certainly we find nothing that demands the attention of the learned, either among Jews or Chriftians. The fpecies of eloquence, by which thefe addrefles are diftinguished, may be conjectured from a fhort fpecimen; of which a part appears to us unintelligible, and the reft inadmiffible;" Sin fcrewed his vitals out, and forced through every pore drops of blood." ART. 31. A Charity Sermon, preached in the Parish Church of of Midhurst, in Suffex. By the Rev, Richard Lloyd, A. M. late Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge. Printed for the Benefit of the Charity School, in the above Parish. 4to. 27 PP. 25. Shepperson and Reynolds. 1797. We notice with pleasure, this exception from the general clafs of charity fermons. It is, in fact, an eloquent, judicious, and devout Effay, upon the importance of education in general, and that of a religious one in particular. The author grounds the expediency of education, upon the characteristics of man, as an imitative, an active, and a fallen creature. Upon each of these principles, he justly con tends, that the hand of inftruction becomes neceffary, as well from views of found policy, as from a fenfe of moral obligation. With the neceffity of inftruction, are interwoven fome remarks upon thofe erroneous modes, too frequently adopted; the failure of which, almost as frequently brings the principle of education into difrepute. The fermon is clofed with a refutation of thofe objections moft ufually made to the inftruction of the poor; and an animated exhortation to a firm, but difcreet perfeverance in the cause of truth and piety. The whole is a compofition which reflects great credit upon the talents of the writer; and we fincerely with it a circulation proportioned to its intrinfic merits; and to the wants of that charity, for whose benefit it was published. ART. 32. A Sermon, preached in Tunbridge-Wells Chapel, on Occafion of reading the Prayer of Thanksgiving, for the late Victory. By Martin Benfon, M. A. Minifter of that Chapel, and Rector of Merstham, Surry. 8vo. 24 pp. 15. Rivingtons. 1797. The text which this preacher has felected, is from the Pfalms xxvii, 16, "O tarry thou the Lord's leifure: be strong, and he fhall comfort thine heart; and put thy truft in the Lord." The text is certainly well-chofen, and the preacher has applied it with ability to the occafion. The following fpecimen will show the style and manner of it to advan tage. Speaking of Admiral-Duncan's victory, the author fays, "An event eminently favourable to our fecurity and profperous to our land, on an element fo friendly to us, yet fo beyond our controul, comes home to our beft feelings-our feelings of gratitude: gratitude to our brave fellow countrymen, who thus adventure in our caufegratitude, on their account, as on our own, to him who commandeth the winds and the fea, and they obey him. Of this recent event (which henceforward adds the brighteft trophy to the unnumbered glories of our naval annals) it may without impropriety, I truft, be noticed, that in the judgment of the beft informed, its confequences are incalculable and that in itself, it is not lefs confpicuous for the display of the patriotic valour of individuals; the general brilliancy of that event; than for the providential controul of the elements; which spared to victors and vanquished, the horrors of a watery grave. I fpeak with diffidence. Whatever gives point to our gratitude, is worthy the occafion." P. 21. We have before commended a volume of fermons, on various fubjects, by the fame author. ART. 33. A Sermon, preached at Worship-Street, Shoreditch, April 30, 1797, on the Deceafe of the pious, learned, and reverend Charles Bulkley, who died the 15th of April, 1797, in the 78th Year of bis Age; with a Sketch of his Life, Character, and Writings. By John Evans, A. M. published by particular Requeft. Svo. 67 pp. Johnfon. IS. The deccafe of men, remarkable for the ufeful exercife of their talents, demands a tribute of respect from thofe, among whom their labours have been particularly exercifed. Such a tribute is here paid in the publication before us. The fubject of ripenefs for diffolution in good men, is judiciously difcourfed upon by Mr. Evans; and an account annexed, of the most memorable particulars in the hiftory and character of the deceafed Paftor. From the extracts prefented in this account, Mr. Bulkley appears to have well deferved the notice with which his memory has been honoured. ART. 3. A Sermon, preached at Elftree, Harts, March 8, 1797, being the Day appointed by his Maj fty's Proclamation, for a General Faft. By the Rev. William Harwiayne, Rector of Elftree, Haris. Svo. 22 pp. 15. Rivingtons. 1797. The propriety of confidering" in the day of adverfity," from the admonition of Solomon, to that effect, is argued in this Difcourfe, and applied, with fuitable carneftnefs, to the ftate of public affairs. Mr. H. will excufe our remarking, that quotations in the learned languages from the pulpit, are not proper. POLITICS. ART. 35. Address to the People of Great Britain. By R. Watfon, Lord Bishop of Landaff. 8vo. 42 pp. IS. Faulder. 1798. A man with an English heart, and a head not turned, reading this Addrefs, would naturally wonder what part of it could poffibly fubject the Right Reverend Author to a violent and angry attack: yet fo it has happened ; and on that attack it was our intention to have animadverted very ftrongly, had not another fpecies of criticifm been employed upon it, which for the prefent puts us to filence. The Addrefs is that of a man, who, amidst all differences of political fentiment in matters of lefs moment, feels honeftly for his coun try in the hour of danger, and wishes to unite all hands and hearts in her defence. Had this temper been shown by several other individuals, whom it is not neceffary here to name, the country would not have felt fo confined a confidence as the has found herself obliged to do, in those whofe abilities are beft able to do her fervice. Recommending the whole, as we do cordially, to the perufal of every Briton, we will felect a paffage which promifes to be of moft general ufe; which he who reads and approves, inuft value a fhilling far beyond its real worth, if he do not immediately fend for the tract. "Let the mal-contents in every nation of Europe look at Holland, and at Belgium. Holland was an hive of bees; her fons flew on the wings of the wind to every corner of the globe, and returned laden with the fweets of every climate. Belgium was a garden of herbs, the oxen were strong to labour, the fields were thickly covered with the abundance of the harveft. Unhappy Dutchmen! You will still toil, but not for your own comfort; you will still collect honey, but not for yourselves; France will feize the hive as often as your industry shall have filled it. Ill-judging Belgians! you will no longer eat in fecurity the fruits of your own grounds; France will find occafion, or will make occafion, to participate largely in your riches; it will be more truly faid of yourselves than of you oxen, "you plough the fields, but not for your own profit." France threatens us with the payment of what the calls a debt of indemnification; and the longer we refift her efforts to fubdue us, the larger fhe fays this debt will become; and fhe tells us, that all Europe knows that this debt must be paid one time or other-And does fhe think that this flourish will frighten us? It ought to move our contempt, it ought to fire us with indignation, and, above all, it ought to inftruct every man amongst us what we are to expect, if through fupiness, cowardice, or divifion, we fuffer her mad attempt to prove fuccefsful. She may not murder or carry into flavery the inhabitants of the land; but under the pretence of indemnification, fhe will demand millions upon tens of millions; fhe will beggar every man of property; and reduce the lower orders to the condition of her own peafants and artificers-black bread, onions, and water. "France wishes to feparate the people from the throne; fhe inveighs, in harsh language, against the King and the cabinet of St. James'; and fpeaks fairly to the people of the land. But the people of the land are too wife to give heed to her profeffions of kindness. If there be a people in Europe on whom fuch practices are loft, it is ourfelves. All our people are far better educated, have far jufter notions of government, far more fhrewdnefs in detecting the defigns of those who would mislead them, than the people of any other country have, not excepting Swifferland itself. There is no caufe to fear that French hypocrify thould be fuperior to British fagacity. Let France approach us with the courage of a lion, or with the cunning of a fox, we are equally prepared to meet her; we can refift her arms and we can expofe her artifice. France reproaches us with being the tyrants of the ocean; and we all remember the armed neutrality, which was entered into by the maritime ftates of Europe during the American war. It originated, as as was faid, from our affuming a dominion on the feas, which the law of nations did not allow. I cannot enter into the difcuffion of this queftion here; and it is lefs neceffary to do it any where, as it has been ably difcuffed many years ago. I fincerely hope the accufation against us is not juft; for no tyranny either can be, or ought to be lafting? am an utter enemy to all dominion founded in mere power, unaccompanied with a juft regard to the rights of individuals or nations. Continental states, however, ought to make fome allowance for our zeal in claiming, and our energy in maintaining, a fuperiority at fea; our infular fituation gives us a right which they cannot plead; they have fortreffes for their defence against their enemies; but fleets are the fortreffes of Great Britain." p. 22. We fhall make no attempt to analyfe fo fhort a tract. The topics are those which the prefent circumftances of the kingdom most imme. diately fuggeft, and they are treated with found judgment, perfpicuity and vigour. ART. 36, Thoughts on a French Invafion, with References to the Probability of its Succefs, and the proper Means of Refifting it. By Haviland Le Mefurier, Efq. Commiffary General of the Southern Dif trict of England. 8vo. 25 pp. 1s. Wright, Piccadilly. 1798. The peculiar utility of this very able and patriotic tract, at the prefent moment, is fo great, that we should be glad to fee it printed entire, on a large fheet (which it might eafily be) and pafted up in every public part of this and all other great towns. It begins by ftating from actual knowledge, what the conduct of the French has been in the countries they have hitherto invaded, and the causes of those fucceffes at which the ignorant are alarmed, and the faithless elated. It then points out the line which we fhould purfue for defence, and the utter impoffibility that the enemy fhould be fuccefsful in an invafion if it is obferved. After recommending, as the first plan to diftrefs an enemy's force which might have landed, the removal of all live stock, and provifions from the coaft, the following remarks are added, which fhould be circulated univerfally, and may, we doubt not, be regarded as given on the faith of Government. After diftreffing the enemy, the next point for every individual to confider, is how best to affift the armed force, and join in the common defence. Whenever troops are on their march towards the enemy, every hand will furely be active in procuring bread for them. There our generous countrywomen will be found to fhare in the laurels which their hufbands, their brothers, and their friends are feeking together they will be ready to provide for their refreshment, and every neceffary fupport on the march, and at every halt; the farmers will affift with their teams and waggons in tranfporting artillery and forage; and every one will be careful to keep the roads as clear of incumbrances as poffible; for that is a point of the utmost importance, which they who have never seen great movements are not fufficiently aware of, “And let not individuals fuppofe that while they are thus affifting in their country's caufe, they are injuring their own fortunes. As in ordinary |