DIVINITY.

ART. 25. A Sermon preached before the Lords Spiritual and Tem poral, in the Abbey Church, Westminster, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 1809, being the Day appointed for a General Faft. By Samuel, Lord Bishop of Carlisle. 4to. 26 p. 2s. Rivingtons. 18og We have here a fuitable, and very momentous difcourfe, on the nature of God's judgments upon earth, the blindness of men refpecting them, their unwillingness to believe in the operation of any but human caufes; and the neceffity for feverity, on the part of the Divine Ruler to awaken men to any fenfe of duty. This is argued with ftrong and folemn feeling of the truth. "Is one nation," fays the Bishop, "fuccefsful over another? You hear men haranguing moft carelessly upon the fuperiority of plan and management; none confidering the predifpofing caufe, God's intent to raife up one and to pull down another; his blinding of a nation, fo as not to profit by wife counfellors; and, by a multitude of thefe imperceptible circumftances, his making of the weak confound the ftrong." P. 13.

Again, he afks, "Does it appear that any nation ever gave proof of a strength inherent in itfelf? Does it not rather appear, that God raifed them up for a time, to fhow his power in and by them, and that they all at length fucceffively fell by their own vicious inclinations, and by not being fostered by the Grace of God? How eafily might the power that now triumphs in its unexp cted dominion, be humbled, by disease or by want, by fudden difafters, by its own provoking arrogance, by its levity, or by the difaffection of its affociated peoples! How eafily alfo might our maritime greatnefs be diminished by much the fame caufes, or rather by one blafting of the breath of God's difpleafure." P. 14.

We have feen many difcourfes on thefe topics, but few, if any, where the right confideration of them was urged with fo much energy and effect.

ART. 26. Select Portions of Pfalms from various Translations, and Hymns from various Authors; the whole arranged according to the yearly Prayers of the Church of England, with Attempts at Corrections and Improvements. By the Rev. John Kemp. thorne, B. D. and late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. 12mo. 3s. 6d. Hatchard. 1810.

The object of the pious compiler of thefe Pfalms and Hymns is to promote "Congregational finging of pfalms, hymns, and fpiritual fongs," to the accomplishment of which we would ourfelves gladly contribute. The verfion of Tate is oftentimes in

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harmonious and harsh, nor is that of Merrick entirely free from fuch imputation.

The compiler alfo endeavours to obviate the objection which fome perfons make to the finging of hymns in churches, which has probably arifen from an injudicious ufe of certain exceptionable compofitions of the kind. This prejudice, however, appears to be diminifhing. This idea is fo far original, but we have pfalms and hymns in their order, adapted to every feafon of the year, with the addition of occafional hymns, which may be introduced at any feafon, and doxologies. There is alfo a copious index to the work, and there appears to be no reason why it may not properly be recommended for general ufe.

ART. 27. Intolerance the Difgrace of-Chriftians, not the Fault of their Religion. By the Rev. Chriftopher Wyvill. 8vo. 112 p. 2s. 6d. Johnfon. 1809.

The zeal and industry of this writer had hitherto been em. ployed in the purfuit of his favourite political object, parlia mentary reform, and to correct the fuppofed abufes in parlia mentary reprefentation. He has now taken up the gauntlet againft another enemy; which he terms intolerance, but which other authorities, of no fmall account, have deemed "the fecurity of our established Proteftant Church."' Intolerance, according to Mr. W., confis not only in prohibiting the free exercise of religious worship, not merely in the infliction of penalties, or vexatious hardships, on thofe who diffent from the religion of the ftate, but in excluding from fituations of commanding influence, and from the power of legiflating for the Established Church, thofe bodies of men whofe religious principles are neceffarily adverfe to its interefts. While therefore we readily agree with him that "Intolerance is a difgrace to Chriftians," we must ever proteft against his application of that term to those fecurities by which the Conftitution has guarded our Church (a church as the author himself admits, p. 83) " infeparably connected with the State."

It is but juftice to this author to ftate, that the first part of his work contains a clear expofition of the principles, and an able defence of the truth of Christianity. He then expatiates, juftly, (out furely at the prefent period unneceffarily) against the bigotry and intolerance that prevailed in former times, and states the happy change that has fince taken place in this country and the fifter kingdom of Ireland. This reform he confiders as imperfect, whilst the Teft Act remains, and whilft an abjuration. of the Papal Supremacy is ftill required. It is not our intention to enter here into a defence of thofe important bulwarks of the Conftitution. But the author (himself a clergyman of the Esta. blifhed Church) would do well to paufe, before he pronounces on the perfect fafety of conferring an unlimited fhare of poli

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tical influence on every fect of diffenters, who have already (though excluded from corporations) the right of voting at all other elections, and even of fitting as Members of Parliament. Let him alfo, before he urges fo confidently the removal of every difability from the Romanifts, weigh well the confequences of their admiffion into both houses of the Legislature; let him view them courted by rival politicians, legillating for the Established Church alternately, and alternately throwing their weight into the fcale of that party which moft inclines to favour their own hierarchy. Laftly, let him contemplate a Proteftant king (if the throne itself is ftill to be Proteftant) with Roman Catholic expounders of the laws, a Roman Catholic head of the army, Roman Catholic counfellors, and, above all, a Roman Catholic chancellor, the diftributor of his church patronage, and the keeper of his confcience !!!

ART. 28. The neceffary Conne&tion between Christianity and Civil Order: A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of Louth, be fore the Louth Yeomanry Cavalry, on Sunday the fifth Day of November, 1809, and published at their Requeft. By the Rev. Thomas Orme, D.D. F.S.A. Chaplain to the Troop. 18 p. Crosby and Co. 1809.

An eminently well written, feasonable, and. ufeful difcourfe, which we recommend to the attention of our countrymen in general, at this momentous crifis, and of thofe real patriots, the voluntary defenders of it, in particular. But, a few fpeciinens will be its strongeft, as well as moft just recommendation.

"The extraordinary ftate of the world, which at prefent is permitted to agitate nations, by the infcrutable providence of God, feems to forbid political controverfy; every pofition, which may tend to promote cordial union, should be anxiously enforced; and therefore, the more humble, yet more useful plan fhall be adopted, of endeavouring, firft, to prove the neceflary connection between Christianity and civil order in a general fenfe and fecondly, more immediately with refpect to the conftitution of this kingdom." P. 6.

"Happy is the King, who wishes to derive his felicity from no other fource, but the love of his fubjects; ambitious of the highest honour, of reigning over a free nation. Happy are the people, whom the fenfe of gratitude, affection, and the chriftian duty of proper fubmiffion, influence to pay that honour to their King which is the just tribute to his deferts. Happy are the King and the people that are in fuch a cafe; the one deferving every mark of royal refpect, which the others cordially offer; an illustrious example of elevated virtues to monarchs, nor lefs the object of admiration, when viewed in the fcenes of private life, dignified by intrinfic greatnefs. In a word; we have only

to make our humble fupplications to the Almighty Difpofer of every event, that he will in mercy continue to us, and to our pofterity, fuch diftinguished bleffings as we now enjoy, from THE BEST KING, THE BEST GOVERNMENT, and THE BEST RELIGION." P. 17.

ART. 29. The Practical Knowledge of Christ, effential to the Chrißian: Enforced in a Sermon upon John xiv. 9, and preached in the Parish Church of St. John's, Halifax, February 5th, 1809. By the Rev. G. Nicholson, Affiflant Curate of St. Aure's,, and St. John's, Halifax; and Author of a New Vindication of the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures, addreffed to Deijls, c. 8vo. 18 p. Wheelers, Manchester. 1809. An animated and vigorous difcourfe, of which the concluding · words will be no unfavourable fpecimen: "Let us therefore behold his beauty in his holy temple, yea in all places, and onall occafions. Let our highest knowledge tend to this. And let us account no knowledge worth any thing, which hath not effential humility and univerfal love attending it. Let us all make the most of our prefent poffibilities of thus knowing the Lord; that we may know him again more joyfully in heaven. Then, instead of uttering that dreadful fentence, I know ye not; depart from me, ye that work iniquity:' he fhall take us completely home-away from darknefs and forrow, pain and weakness, ficknefs, death and hell, to be his beloved friends for ever."

ART. 30. A Sermon, preached at Woburn Chapel, on Wednesday, February 8, 1809; being the Day appointed for a General Faft. By the Rev. W. Cockburn, A. M. Chriftian Advocate in the Univerfity of Cambridge. Dedicated, by Permillion, to William Cowper, Efq. Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the Loyal British Artificers, avho was prefent with his Corps on the Occafin. Published by Defire of fome of the Gentlemen of the Congregation. 8vo. 24 P. Is. 6d. Hatchard, &c. 1809.

The dedication is highly creditable to Lieut. Col. Cowper: "You have the honour to command a corps of voluntary fol. diers, who are affociated for the difintereffed and noble purpose of protecting their country. You have been affiduous in teaching. them fuch military practice as may increase the value of their courage and their zeal. But befides this neceffary part of an officer's duty, you have moreover feized every occafion of going with them to the houfe of God; and of teaching them, by the efficacy of your example, to implore forgivenefs of their fins, and to crave the protection of that Omnipotence, who is alone the giver of all victory." P. 3.

A piece of oratory more animated and vigorous than this,

has

has fcarcely come within our notice. That it is fometimes even pectical, one fpecimen will fufliciently prove: "As fome Numidian lion who has approached a populous town, from whofe numerous and faft iffuing inhabitants he feels obliged to retreat back to his den, turns himself round, and with ftately pace withdraws the fhouting populace prefs on his flanks, approach him, and with miffile darts annoy ; but if he bend his head around, and glare upon them with his yellow eye, and erect his angry mane, the purfuers paufe, or fly away, or tremble in filence till he again refume his homeward march: So Britain's army majef. tically and nobly retired before an innumerable host of enemies." P. 8:

At pages 10, 15, 16, &c. we meet with oratory better agreeing with our tafte; particularly, in the concluding words: "Great and tremendous Being! who doft, from thy throne, in the midft of univerfal calm, behold this little world of ftrife, contention, and war, have mercy on us! have mercy on our country! turn from us all thofe evils which we mot justly have deferved! and oh! if the catalogue of our united fins be numerous and call aloud for vengeance, yet let the united prayers of thy numerous fervants, this day affembled in thy temples, plead to miti gate thine anger, and to avert the fiercenefs of thine indignation Immortal Monarch of the univerfe! Incomprehenfible! that fitteft above the heavens! have mercy upon us, both in this world, and in the next! through Jefus Chrift, our Lord.Amen!"'

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 31. A circumftantial Report of the Evidence and Proceedings upon the Charges preferred against his Royal Highness the Duke of York, in the Capacity of Commander in Chief, in the Months of February and March, 1809. By G. L. Wardle, Efq. M. Pi Before the Honourable Horje of Commons. Including the Whole of the original Letters of his Royal Highness the Duke of York; the Speeches, correlly taken in full, of the various Members; with all the other Documents produced in the Courfe of the Investigation, and the Decifion of the House of Commons upon this very important Subject. Illuftrated by Portraits. Albion Prefs Edi. tion, 8vo. 700 pp. 145. 6d. Cundee. 1809.

Though this report be evidently published under the influence of party prejudices, on what was confidered as the popular fide; (which is always the fide of condemning any great perfon accufed) and though in the fhort preface fome facts are grofsly mifreprefented, in confequence of fuch prejudices; yet fo much is any publisher pledged, in a matter of fuch notoriety, to obtain reports as correct as he can, that we fee no reason why this fhould not be

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