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From Pfa. xxxiii. 12. the preacher fhows that religion is effential to the temporal happiness of a nation. The difcourfe is chiefly occupied in removing a common and plausible objection:-" But here you may afk (for it is a difficulty which naturally prefents itself to the mind) by what means have moft of the great and Aourishing empires of the world been formed? Has not their aggrandizement ufually been effected by fraud, injuftice, violence, and ufurpation? And, if they must have respected the maxims of religion, and the rights of other nations, would they not have renounced all thofe advantages which led them to power and glory 'To this objection I anfwer, by laying down four limitations of the propofition of the text, that blessed is the nation whofe God is the Lord." We have not room for producing thefe limitations, but we fhall gratify, we think, our readers with the peroration, which is evidently very different from that of the French preacher; and which may ferve to fhow the degree of Mr. P.'s fuccefs in adapting his fermons to an English pulpit,

Such is the doctrine contained in the text, "bleffed is the nation whofe God is the Lord," In difcuffing and proving the truth of this doctrine, I have ftated many circumftances, that muft ftrongly have reminded you of the public happinefs which we of this nation ftill continue to enjoy. But let us remember always, that "the Lord is with us only while we are with him; and that, if we forfake him, he will forfake us." Let us confider then moft feriously, with what evils we are now threatened by a hostile people, ftill in array against us, under a most ambitious and fanguinary chief; and let the thought of thefe things revive and awaken our fainting piety, and fend us to "feek the Lord while be found of us. I will indulge the pleafing hope, that we are thus rightly difpofed; and, inftead of reproofs, I will conclude with happy wishes and forebodings.

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"May our gracious fovereign receive, in his latter days, the fruit of his pious and exemplary life! and may the nations of the world find that fafe and ftable PEACE which he and his people have fo long exerted themfelves to obtain! May his fleets and armies, under the divine bleffing, fubdue that inordinate ambition which is feeking to reduce under one dominion the powers of Europe, and of the world! May his minifters, his counsellors, and his auguft parliament, profper all his defigns, by their wisdom, and fortitude, and unanimity! And may all of us, my brethren, -not excluding our enemies-peace being established throughout the world, live in tranquillity and charity; ferving God, with out fear, all the days of our life! And finally, may we meet again, through God's mercy, in that abode of glory and blessed. nefs, which has been opened to, and prepared for us, by the GREAT REDEEMER of our fouls!" P. 23.

ART.

ART. 28. The Order for the Vifitation of the Sick, from the Book of Common Prayer; interfperfed with Prayers, Exhorta. tions, and Interrogatories, taken from different Authors: together with fome Obfervations and Directions which may be useful to wards a due Performance of that important Duty: defigned for the first four Vifits. With an Appendix, containing a few Prayers, which may, according to different Circumstances, be profitably used by the Sick themselves. By Richard Mant, D.D. Rector of All-Saints, Southampton, and of Fonthill-Bishop's, Wilts. I 2mo. 107 PP. Is. 6d. Rivingtons. 1805.

We confider this as a moft judicious compilation. The office for the Vifitation of the Sick is given, divided into four visits, with prayers, interrogatories, and exhortations, fanctioned by the venerable names of Kenn, Warren, Wilfon, Nelson, Kettlewell, Gibfon, Dodwell, Hearne, Stonboufe, and others. Dr. Mant feems to think too humbly of himself and his tract, when he confiders it as prefumption in him to offer this aid to the elder part of his brethren. Whatever they may have provided for themselves, to ufe on fuch occafions, it is yery little likely that they fhould, in general, have drawn up any thing fo ju dicious as what is here offered. Refpecting the younger clergy, he ventures fo far as to fay "perhaps I may be entitled to a small share of acknowledgement from my younger brethren, who will here find exhibited to them, not only a form, or if a form, a pattern to be improved upon, for their firft vifits to a fick perfon-not only fome occafional prayers for them to recommend to the private use of the fick, but also the names of fome authors, to whom they may have recourfe, and from whom they may receive fuch information and affiftance in qualifying themfelves for the due discharge of so folemn a service."

All this, and much more, may, with ample propriety, be faid of this tract, which is indeed of a moft edifying and useful kind.

ART. 29. The Deftruction of Jerufalem an abfolute and irrefiftible Proof of the divine Origin of Chriftianity: including a Narrative of the Calamities which befel the Jews, jo far as they tend to verify our Lord's Predictions relative to that Event. With a brief Defcription of the City and Temple. 8vo. 96 pp. 2s. 6d. Sael. 1805.

A very important and convincing part of the Bishop of Lon. don's Lectures on St. Matthew, is the application of our Saviour's prophecy in the xxivth chapter of that Evangelift, to the fiege and deftruction of Jerufalem. This author, (who figns himfelf G. H.) confiders the whole fubject more at length, inferts the hiftory of the fiege from Jofephus, and endeavours to bring to a demonftration the proof drawn from this fulfilment.

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The author has ventured even to-introduce the prodigies recorded by Josephus, to have what weight they may, though there is no doubt that fome of them have very much the air of fiction.

The tract is certainly well calculated to be useful, as it gives, in a fmall compaís, what muft otherwife be fought in larger books. A very forcible and just exhortation to public piety concludes the publication; and though one or two expreffions in it feem to betray a religionift of the clafs of Cowper, nothing exaggerated in doctrine, or cenforious against thofe of lefs enthufiaftic minds, has been fuffered to appear in it.

ART. 30. A Charge delivered at the Primary Vifitation of the Reverend the Archdeacon of Sarum, on the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th of July, 1805. By the Reverend Charles Daubeny, Archdeacon of Saram. 8vo. 32 pp. 15. Rivingtons. 1805. What claims the prefent Archdeacon of Sarum poffeffes, to peculiar attention from the members of the Church, can be unknown only to those who are regardless of the welfare of the Church, or of its contests with very unjuft affailants. Mr. Daubeny has wielded, with great fkill, the weapons of Truth, Reafon, and Scripture, against the votaries of unlimited Calvinifm, and the unwearied flanderers of the Church and Clergy of England: fuch at least of the Clergy, as are untainted with those errors, and will not pronounce condemnation upon thoufands to whom Chrift has promised falvation. These works of the worthy Archdeacon have been duly noticed by the British Critic, and confift (befide occafional discourses) of his "Guide to the Church *," his " Appendix to the Guide +," his “Vindicæ Ecclefie Anglicanæ ‡,' and his "Trial of the Spirits ||": Thefe, and a Volume of Excellent difcourfes ý, have all demanded our notice, and deferved our commendation; and we fincerely rejoice to fee fo worthy a labourer in the vineyard honourably advanced to a fituation, which may give new weight to his difcourfes, and new force to his example.

The prefent Charge, preferving "the due medium between an affected humility on the one hand, and the affumption of an unbecoming confequence on the other," is divided into two prin. cipal parts. In the firit, he confults the elder Clergy on the means of giving the beft effect to his office, in the relaxation of the prefent times; and, in the fecond, he admonishes the younger part of his brethren how to give the best operation to their miniftry under the actual circumstances of Religion. In the

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first part he speaks like a fincerely zealous, in the fecond like a truly wife and prudent officer of the Church. The prefent times are thus characterized, in a religious view, by this judicious obferver.

"The character, by which the present day is distinguished, is a relaxation of religious fentiment, which has generated, more or lefs, a licence of opinion inimical to exifting establishments; by inculcating a dangerous belief, that his own private notions, however imperfectly formed, provided they are fincerely maintained, are to conftitute the standard of his own actions. This principle, which fuperfedes the experience of all ages, and the wifdom of every human inftitution, though inadmiffible under (becaufe incompatible with) any civil Government, is still confidered as a principle which may be fately exercised without controul in the affairs of Religion. It is not my prefent business to mark the line within which this principle of private judgment may be exercifed; but after adverting to its prefent prevailing influence, in the production of an almost total indifference with refpect to all modes of worship, to point out, confiftently with my duty, the means beft calculated to counteract the evil to which it too generally leads." P. 11.

To fay that this duty is admirably performed in the remaining part of the Charge, is fufficient to point out its great merit.

ART. 31. A Sermon on the Religious Advantages offered by the Church of England to the Members of the Communion. Preached at St. Mary Le Bow, on St. Mark's Day, April 25, 1805, in conformity with the Will of the late Mr. John Hutchings, by the Rev. Thomas White, A. M. of Queen's College, Oxford, and Minifter of Welbeck-Street Chapel, by St. Mary-le-Bone. 8vo. Price 1s. Hatchard. 1805.

The pious founder of this annual fermon required inftructions to be given on the excellency and use of the Liturgy of the Church of England, fhewing that great advantages must neceffarily accrue to the poor children educated in the doctrines and principles of the said church.

This is a very fenfible and pious difcourfe, in which fuitable and rcible arguments are introduced; and the object for which the sermon was inftituted, effectually answered.

ART. 32. Interefting Converfations on moral and religious Subje&s, interfperfed with a Narrative. By a Lady. 8vo. 5s. Williams and Smith.

1805.

• We should hardly imagine this book to have been written by a lady, but be it written by whom it may, it is a moft fenfible, judicious, and pious work. The arguments and fentiments of our

holy religion, in oppofition to thofe of what are called the rational and liberal diffenters, are introduced with great force and fuccefs, and interwoven in a narrative of domeftic occur. rences in which no violence is done to probability. They who would bring revelation to the ftandard of reason, and not reason to the ftandard of revelation, will do well to perufe this little volume carefully and often. If we do not, in every minute point, coincide with this author's fentiments, particularly with regard to extemporary preaching, and one or two others, we think fo highly of the fpirit and the principles confpicuous in every page, that we have no reluctance in pronouncing it worthy of the highest commendation.

POLITICS.

ART. 33. Remarks on the probable Conduct of Rufia and France towards this Country; alfo on the Neceffity of Great Britain becoming independent of the Northern Powers for her Maritime Supplies, and recommending (as the only Means of attaining that most important Object) the Encouragement of the British Shipping In. tereft, and the Cultivation of Naval Stores in Upper and Lower Canada; including Obfervations on the Report of the Society of Ship Owners; the Commerce of the Mediterranean, the Canal, Wet Docks, and other Improvements in the Port of London, and on the British Settlements in North America. Dedicated to the

Right Hon. William Pitt. 8vo. 107 pp. 3s. Afperne. 1805.

The prolix title-page to this pamphlet enables, and indeed obliges us to be more brief than we otherwife fhould be, in defcribing its contents. They are, however, fo multifarious, that it is not eafy to comprehend them in one general character. One of the author's objects, which we cannot confider as laudable, is to excite a jealoufy against our ally, the Emperor of Ruffia, and to prove that power to be almoft as hoftile to us as France. Nothing, we conceive, need be faid to expofe fo pernicious a doctrine. It may, indeed, be good policy to encourage the importation of timber, and other naval ftores, from our Ame rican colonies, but whether fupplies from the northern countries of Europe could be wholly difpenfed with, is a serious question, which we will not here difcufs. The hardfhips impofed on the fhipping intereft, and a confequent decrease in the tonnage of British shipping are much infifted upon, but, as we believe, with little or no foundation; and indeed the author founds most of his affertions on the authority of anonymous writers in the newspapers. Much is alío faid against relaxations in the navigation laws, against the heavy duties on shipping, against the wet docks, and indeed against almost every late invention and regula

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