fervice" (p.31). We gladly bear our teftimony to the pious and charita ble fpirit, under the influence of which this work appears to have been composed; as well as to the found judgment, with which it is, in general, executed. Perhaps our refpect for this performance will be best shown, by endeavouring to render it fomewhat more perfect. At p. 100, a perfon who is defirous to make his will, is inftructed to pray thus; affift me in the choice of fuch expreffions, as fhall leave no room for legal exceptions." We apprehend that if Providence enables us to obtain the advice of men fkilled in these matters, the affistance here petitioned for, is, in fact, put into our hands; and of this affiftance, we advife all perfons to avail themselves. "If this thy ungrateful creature hath not out-lived his day of grace and trial” (p. 137). We do not find any fuch period in holy fcripture; but, on the contrary, "When the wicked man turneth away, &c." Ezek. xviii, 27. At p. 183, it is juftly faid, "no human being dare fet bounds to God's infinite mercy towards his creatures in Jefus Chrift."—" In the Lord's prayer, you only afk mercy of God for your own foul, in the degree you are willing to overlook the faults and injuries of your fellowFor this is the plain meaning of the following petition, forgive us our trefpaffes, as we forgive them that trespass againfi us" (p. 157). We confider the last words as a very folemn declaration, but not as relating to the degree here mentioned; nor yet as a condition of our own forgiveness, which is the common interpretation. St Matthew vi, 12, fays, ws nai nμris ¿pipes, &c. of which the exact tranflation is, "as we ALSO forgive," &c. It does not appear, why the word alfo was dropt in tranflating St. Matthew, and retained in tranflating St. Luke, St. Luke xi, 4, fays, xai yàg avroì ápíeuer, &c. Our Saviour, indeed, annexes this condition, 'Eav yaş are, &c. but it is not expreffed in the prayer. At p. 191, a vulgar phrase occurs: " if you cannot read, endeavour to get with those that can."

At p. 279, we find "Our father, which (or rather who) art in heaven." We truft, that this judicious divine does not take the liberty, which we have fometimes witneffed, of fubftituting the latter of these words, in the public exercife of his function. For, in general, it feems not only inconfiftent with that conformity to the Liturgy to which clergymen are obliged, but alfo inexpedient, to alter the phrafes in it; because unlearned perfons may thence be led to think, that it abounds with errors in language, which is not the cafe; and their just respect for it may thereby be diminished. But certainly we ought, in judging of any phrafes in the Liturgy, to have regard to the state of our language at the time when it was compiled. Now, the pronoun relative which, though in the prefent ftate of our language, it be used as relating only to things, yet formerly was ufed for who, and related alfo to perfons; and particularly in the Bible-tranflation, which is ufed for who and whom, in almoft every chapter; as in Matthew vi (the very chapter whence the Lord's Prayer, as it fands in the Liturgy, is taken); in the eight verfes preceding the prayer, which, for who, occurs four times. So that if we fubftitute who for which in the Lord's Prayer, we fhould do the fame throughout the Bible; a proceeding, furely, unjustifiable and unne ceffary.

ART.

ART. 37. Six Sermons, preached before the Right Hon. Brook Watfon, Lord Mayor of the City of London, by George Stepney Townley, M. A. Rector of the United Parishes of St. Stephen Walbrook, and St. Bennet Sherehog, Letturer of St. Dunstan's in the Eaft, and Chaplain to his Lordship. 8vo. 181 pp. 35. Rivingtons; and Walker, Charing Crofs. 1797.

The accomplishments of a found divine, and a refpectable scholar, fuperadded to good talents, and a zeal tempered with judgment, are always apparent in the difcourfes of this author. At a former period, when he published fix fermons, preached on fimilar occafions, we commended them as containing plain and temperate statements and remonftrances (vol. vi, p. 547). The prefent fet have the same character; not affording very luminous or ftriking paffages, or many of thofe felicities of argument or eloquence which might tempt us to make extracts from them; but difcuffing their feveral fubjects in a plain and rational ftyle, with due illuftration from the authority of Scripture. Of the difcourfes in this volume, the fourth and fixth have alfo been printed in a separate form, and perhaps fome of the others; but having them here collected, it becomes unneceffary to enquire for the fingle parts. The fubjects of thefe are; The Advent of the Meffiah; The Sins of the Nation; No Refpect of Perfons with God; Light in the Lord; The Refurrection of the Body; Doing juftly, loving Mercy, and walking humbly with our God.

ART. 38. The intellectual and moral Difference between Man and Man. A Sermon, preached at the Old Jewry, Sept. 24, 1797, on Occafion of the Death of the Rev. John Fell, formerly of Thaxted, in Effex, lately of Homerton, in Middlefex. By Henry Hunter, D. D. Minifter of the Scots Church, London Wall. Publifhed at the Requeft of the Gentlemen Subfcribers to Mr. Fell's Lectures on the Evidences of the Chriftian Religion. 8vo. 48 pp. 1s. 6d. Good, Button, &c. 1797.

I

From 1 Cor. xv, 40-42, the preacher ingeniously takes occafion to fhow, that" as one star differeth from another ftar in glory," fo alfo one human being now differeth from another, in endowments and attainments; "in refpect of external form, of original mental powers, of intellectual improvement, of moral excellence, of devotional elevation; and all thefe looking forward unto, and iffuing in, that perfect state of human nature, which fhall be effected by the almighty power of God, at the refurrection of the dead" (p. 5). From this "general illuftration of the fubject," Dr. Hunter paffes on to pay a tribute to the memory of the deceased. Here we find much caufe for admiration and regret. From a humble and illiterate mechanic, even at the age of twenty, Mr. Fell became, by his, " ardent, inquifitive, and penetrating Spirit," an eminent and useful fcholar, and preacher of the gospel. In plainer language," he devoted himself to fludy;" and his talents procured him friends, who called forth his modeft merit into light" (p. 29). Having ftudied a few years in the academy at Mile-end, and afterwards preached in Suffolk, Norfolk, &c. he fettled

at

at Thaxted, in Effex; and there lived many years in very high credit as a minister, a preceptor, and an author. But being judged fit for a more important public ftation in the vicinity of the metropolis,"

in an evil hour he became refident tutor in the academy at Homerton" (p. 41). The fpirit of difcontent, of infubordination, and of impatience of authority," which had long prevailed in that feminary, was not quieted even by the introduction of even fuch a tutor; and at laft, bordering on his grand climacteric," he was expelled from his office, and turned adrift into the world, without being heard in his own defence (p. 42). His friends affifted him in a liberal and delicate manner. They fuggefted" a courfe of Lectures on the Evidences of Chrißianity;" by which he was to earn that bounty, which they were ready enough, at any rate, to fupply. But the agitation of mind, produced by the unkindness of adverfaries on one hand, and the affection of friends on the other (which the preacher illustrates by a fimile fomewhat poetical (p. 45), together with the labour of compofing, delivering, and publifhing his lectures, brought on diforders, which in a few months proved fatal. His end was, in its manner, suitable to fuch an ufeful and pious life.

Dr. H. appears to have inhaled, by his habit of tranflating French authors, a little too much of the inordinate spirit of their eloquence. His ftyle is often too lofty for his matter; as at p. vii, “in bestowing the decent honours of fepulture on his remains, you have reared a monument for yourselves, which the hand of time is unable to demolish” (p. 12). They (the ten talents) are liable to lofs; they will be impaired by time; the ruin, not the palace, will at length meet the eye" (p. 14). "Like the lofty mountain, he (man) is infenfible of his own elevation; like the infathomable mine, or the flinty rock, be prizes not the precious gem which God has planted in his bofom" (P. 14). "Melt away into lefs than nothing." But the difcourfe in general unites, very happily, found piety with vigorous oratory. ART. 39. A Letter to the Society of Proteftant Diffenters, at the Old Meeting, Yarmouth, from Thomas Martin, on his Resignation of the Office of Minifter among them. 8vo. 30 pp. Is. Johnson. 1797. The cause of this refignation appears to have been, the dissatisfaction expreffed by individuals in the author's congregation, on account of a change of his opinion, "with refpect to the miracles attributed to the great and good, the extra-ordinary, but, as I believe," he fays, "not præternatural Jefus" (p. 9); which miracles he was "no longer able to maintain" (p. 7) The most unlimited freedom, on the part of public teachers, of delivering any religious opinions, which they may, from time to time, adopt, is here pleaded for, with more temper and moderation, than we ufually fee difplayed on this fubject; but not with much novelty or vigour of remark and illuftration.

ART. 40. The Nature and Importance of Resignation: a Sermon, occafioned by the Chriftian Triumph displayed in the peaceful Departure of Mrs. Sizer, of Woodbridge, Suffolk; avho died the ft of February, 1797, in the 27th Year of her Age. By Samuel Lowell. 8vo. 34 PP. gd. Knott, Chapman, &c. 1797.

Very found and edifying, and by no means fo humble in point of compofition, as the author himfelf feems to reprefent it, In the cha

racter

racter of the deceafed, the leading trait was that calm, placid, rational fubmiffion to the divine will, which proceeds from a conviction of the wifdom of God, and an intereft in his love through Jefus Chrift." P. 33.

The members of the Church of England would do well, in our judgment, if they would be admonished, by the general example of diffenters, to revive the good old cuftom of funeral fermons. Panegyrics upon the deceafed being carefully avoided, and yet fuch a tribute being paid to their virtues, as the auditors will univerfally allow to be jut, we cannot conceive any occafions more favourable than thefe, to the excitement of pious, and not tranfient affections, in the hearers; and particularly in thofe, whofe minds are especially prepared for good impreffions, by their near intereft in the awful fcene before them.

ART. 41. A Letter on the Doctrine of the Trinity; addreffed to the Baptift Society, at Guilfborough, Northamptonshire. 8vo. 76 pp. 1s. Johnfon. 1795.

ART. 42. A Second Letter, Sc.. 8vo. 60 pp. 18. Johnfon, &c. 1796.

The author, Mr. E. Sharman, being excluded from the Baptift Society, for having abandoned the doctrine of the Trinity, after half a year's enquiry into the grounds of it (Let. I, p. 4) makes this appeal to the public concerning the juftice of his determination. In a ftyle not very gentle or tolerant, he complains of the feverity and intoler ance with which he has been treated. He fets forth, not without fome portion of vigour and fhrewdnefs, the common arguments in favour of what he calls Unitarianifm; but he adds nothing to what has been urged a thousand times on this question.. Having but very little knowledge," as he fays (p. 9), of grammar or compofition," he would have done well to be fatisfied with expreffing his thoughts in humble profe, and to abstain from all attempts at poetry, in which he is very inferior to Sternhold and Hopkins; Let. II, pp 44, 48, 49.

POLITICS.

66

ART. 43. Addrefs from Camille Jordan, Member for the Department of the Rhone, to his Conflituents, on the Revolution of the 4th of Sep·tember, 1797. Tranflated from the French; with an original Preface and Notes, by John Gifford, Efq. Author of a Letter to the Earl of Lauderdale, Two Letters to the Hon. T. Erskine, &c. &c. 8vo. 134 pp. 35. Longman, Paternofter-Row. 1798.

N. B. The original French is fold at De Boffe's, Dulan's, &c.

The prefent ftate of French Liberty is admirably zery advertisement which the author has prefixed.

illuftrated by the "This addrefs,"

he

he fays," which I promifed my fellow-citizens, fo early as the 6th of September, has been long ready, but I have experienced the greatest difficulty in procuring a perfon to print it. I have fill my doubts whether I fall be able to put it into circulation. Yet I am refolved to publish it; for if it fhould not fall into the hands of my fellow-citizens, they will at least know that it exifts. Yes they will know it; and they will exclaim, fuch is the liberty granted to men who are accused of the greateft crimes, of anfwering the charges preferred against them! fo horribly alarmed are their accufers, in the plenitude of their power, that no fooner does the defence of one of their victims appear, than they annibilate it." This fact, he very juftly obferves, speaks for itself, and says even more than his whole work!

Camille Jordan, as Mr. Gifford's preface properly informs the reader," was one of thofe members of the legislative body, who were chofen fubfequent to the establishment of the conftitution of 1795, and having diftinguished himfelf as a decided enemy to violent or revolutionary measures, he was deemed a fit object of profcription, and was accordingly included in the fentence of banishment, extorted by a Turkish Directory, from a proftituted Divan; which, after the memorable events of the 4th of September, 1797, fwept away what little remained of talent and integrity in republican France." P. x.

The style of Camille is declamatory, which has long been the univerfal ftyle of Frenchmen; but the statements contained in his tract are important, not only to thofe who wish to understand the prefent ftate of France, but also to those who would see the true reference of French politics to this, and all the other countries of Europe. His declaration concerning the only kind of peace to be expected from the prefent Directory, is of univerfal importance." They will make peace; but be affured it will be only tranfitory; and continuing to profefs all the revolutionary maxims, and inundating all the countries in alliance with France, with their apostles of rebellion, they will in fact fertilize, under the semblance of peace, all the germs of a new and more bloody war." P. 89.

The preface of Mr. Gifford contains many obfervations of great utility, and is replete, like his other writings, with that truly patriotic zeal which is vigilant to feize every opportunity of rending fervice to the country in thefe times of danger.

ART. 44. Copies of Original Letters, recently written by Perfons in Paris, to Dr. Prieflley in America. Taken on Board of a neutral Veffel. 8vo. 36 pp. 15. Wright, Piccadilly. 1798.

"have been ex

Thefe letters, found on board of a Danish fhip, hibited, with the ufual atteftations in the High Court of Admiralty, and are now remaining on record in the public registry of that Court. Their authenticity is therefore placed beyond difpute, and may be perfonally afcertained by any man who chufes to take that trouble." This is fuffi cient atteftation, and the Letters themselves are, in the highest degree, curious and important; proving, beyond all doubt, the implacable hatred of fuch apoftates as Stone, &c. to this country, and their phi

lofophie