of crufaders?--and the dominion of the fea fecured to ourselves by the defeat of an invader who proudly styled himfelf invincible? Did not the venerable Conftitution of Britain rife from the c' aos of civil and religious war, adorned with new beauties, and confolidated with new ftrength? And has not the daring attempt of our prefent toes to banish religion and focial happiness from every part of the civilized world, placed us in that glorious, that envied fituation in which we at prefent ftand, a rock ftill unfhaken amidit the wreck of Europe, repelling every attack with firmer refitance, and acquiring increase of itrength from every hoftile blo." P. 9. There are other parts of this difcourfe which will recommend it to the notice of the well-difpofed reader, and will render the circulation of it no less useful than seasonable. The text is Pfal. xx. 5. 12mo. ART. 27. The Obligation and Mode of Keeping a Public Faft: a Sermon, preached at the Parish Church of Rempstone, Nottinghamshire, on Friday, May 25, 1804. By Edward Pearfon, B. D. Re&or. 32 pp. 6d. Nottingham printed; Hatchard, London. 1804. The acute and pious labours of this found and excellent divine, particularly in the controversy against the Calvinistic members of our Church, have almoft continually employed our attention, for fome time past. We find with regret, from the teftimony of this difcourfe, that as a prophet is fometimes not honoured in his own country, fo this exemplary paftor is not always fuccefsful in his influence over his parifhioners. In a Dedication to them, and in a part of the Sermon (p. 17) It is intimated, that there was a thin attendance in his Church on the day of the Faft. Perhaps this deficiency may beft be explained by the map. Rempftone is on the high road to Nottingham, diftant no more than fourteen miles; and within fuch a radius from that centre, it is eafy to fuppofe that the task of a minilter who teaches civil fubordination, and the laws of good order, must be more than ufually arduous. We heartily with him perfeverance, and that ultimate fuccefs in his ministry, which this found and useful discourse, and his other profeffional labours fo well deferve. In one or two inftances, he has here introduced the words of former divines, with fome little alteration. A reference to fuch names as Bishop Taylor and Archbishop Tillotfon has, with those who think rightly, an authority not diffimilar to that of the Fathers of the Church. How they may be efteemed within a stage of Nottingham, is not a matter of very favourable furmife. It is right, however, that their authority fhould be urged, and all the found principles of Christianity enforced, ART. 28. Infolvent Debtors. A Sermon, addreffed to the Prisoners confined for Debt in the United Kingdom, on their approaching Liberation by the Infolvent Bill. By a Clergyman of the Church of England (formerly Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge) who could not receive the Benefit of that Act. 40. 24 pp. Afperne. 1804. We read with concern the concluding part of the title-page to this Sermon; as the exhortations contained in it have fo much appearance of fincerity, that we are led to hope the preacher would (when restored to to fociety) avoid thofe errors which, he seems to admit, have brought him into his prefent fituation. The text is from Matth. vii. 11, 12; but the Sermon relates to the latter verfe only (" whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even fo to them", &c.) and applies the heavenly doctrine therein inculcated, to the various relations and fituations of life. There is little, however, which peculiarly relates to the fituation of prisoners confined for debt; but, towards the conclufion, the preacher addreffes them in an affecting and energetic exhortation; which, we hope, with fome of them at least, had its due effect. ART. 29. Good Effects of an united Truft in the Arm of Flesh, and the Arm of the Lord. A Sermon, preached at Cuxton, Kent, July 31, 1803. By the Rev. Charles Moore, M. A. Rector of Cuxton. 8vo. Hatchard. 1854. JS. We are among those who think it right and becoming of the clerical character, at this awful and interefting period, to endeavour to promote among thofe whom it is their duty to inftruct, a fpirit of loyalty, founded on the firm bafis of religious principle; for this purpofe the prefent difcourfe was compofed and delivered. It is plain, fimple, and impreffive, and in all respects worthy of a Christian teacher. ART. 30. The Sacred Tree. By John Bentley. 12mo. 23 pp. 6d. Button, Paternoiter-Row. 1804. We have before had occafion, more than once, to praise the piety and ufeful diligence of Mr. Bentley (Brit. Crit. xxii. 434 and 683). We find him here, with the fame excellent difpofitions, endeavouring to diffufe instruction on the subject of the Tree of Knowledge, and the Fall of Man." The learned reader", he modeftly fays," is not to expect any additional information or improvement in knowledge, from its perufal; but there are others to whom it may become ufeful". In his Dedication to Dr. Fly, he fays alfo, that he has printed it on the diminutive fcale in which it appears, for the "convenience of thofe who cannot afford to purchafe more expenfive tracts". The object of the tract being to explain the Mofaic account of the Fall, without having recourfe to allegory, the author proceeds chiefly on the grounds fuggefted by the best interpreters; with the aid of fuch conjectures as very naturally fuggeft themfelves to the mind, on a ferious confideration of the facts. Mr. B. once or twice cites Dr. Kennicott, and gives other intimations of a knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. ART. 31. A Warning to Babylon, that Great City, which is extended almost over the whole Earth. Chafly addreffed to the middling and higher Ranks. 8vo. 51 pp. 1s. 6d. Jones. 1803. To cite a paffage or two from this tract will be fufficient to charac terize it. "Now felf is Hell, it is the Devil, it is darkness, pain, and difquiet. It is the one only enemy of Christ, the great Antichrift. It is the Scarlet Whore, the fiery Dragon, the old Serpent, the devour ing Beaft, that is mentioned in the Revelation of St. John." P. 9. But the following is much more fublime. Every property takes its original from the first, viz. from the first impreffion or defire to Nature, viz. out of the grand mystery, and brings forth itself out of it felf, as the air proceeds out of the fire, and all whatever proceeds forward in one will is uncontroulable, for it gives itfelf to no property it dwells even from the firft original only in itself, and goes forth in One will; and this is the true way of eternity, wherein there is no corruptibility if a thing remains in its own peculiar property, for the great mystery is from eternity." P. 1, fecond Part. We may add, and a mystery it muft remain to all eternity, if explained only in fuch jargon as this. The whole is, in fhort, the height of Methodism and myfticifm. It abounds in fuch terms as, the free lubet, the abominate, Self-hood, the byfs and abyfs, &c. &c. But there are things which look ftill worfe. As this, "All felf-ful affamed (or arrogated) laws and authority, wherewith the poor are vexed and oppreffed, do all come from felf-hood." P. 23. It is doubtful whether the writer does not mean here to characterize all laws and authority. He appears, however, to be in a state little, if at all, fhort of perfect infanity. As for the Great Babylon mentioned in the title, we do not fee a word about it in the whole tract. CLERGY. ART. 32. The Caufes and Confequences of the Neglect of the Clergy; and the Condition of the Clergy as it relates to his prefent Majefty. By the Rev. Edward Hankin, M. A. M. D. 8vo. 65 PP. Rivingtons. 1803. 2s. 6d. That the decay of religious principles neceffarily brings along with it a diminution of the refpect fhown to the minifters of religion, is an axiom too evident to require any formal or laboured proof; but mo ralifts and divines have, in every age, been prone to exaggerate the degeneracy of the times; and, when this author propofes to enquire into the caufes of the neglect of the clergy", he affumes as fact, what may justly be controverted, that the clergy are in general neglected. The gangrene of infidelity is not yet fo univerfally spread as to render either religion itfelf, or its ministers, objects of contempt or neglect it will, on the contrary, be found, that the influence of the latter over their flocks, and the refpect fhown to them, are generally' commenfurate to the exemplarinefs of their lives, and to their dili gence in the discharge of their pastoral office. Mr. Hankin, who defcribes himfelf as being a village curate, tells his brethren, that they muft rife" in knowledge and in affluence to the level, and even above the common level, of their age, or their perfons and their doctrines will alike be held in contempt". Their fhare of knowledge so much depends on their industry in the purfuit of it, that the perfonal contempt is merited where they fail to acquire the intellectual fuperiority here recommended; but what is the precife degree of affluence Mr. H. here alludes to, we confefs ourselves un able able to comprehend. Certain it is, that his estimation of the temporalities of the church is very crude and imperfect, or he would not have fuppofed, that the clergy" are required with the refources of the fixteenth century to maintain the rank of the nineteenth". If their pittance be fmall, and in fome cafes inadequate, ftill we cannot agree with him in affigning the great difproportion which (accordding to him) their condition bears to the prefent ftate of fociety and civilization" as one caufe of the neglect into which they are faid to have fallen. The fecond caufe affigned by him, infidelity, has but too real an existence, nor can its baneful effect be controverted or denied: all that we contend for is, that as its extent is ftill limited, fo are the evils refulting from it. To oppofe the progrefs of infidelity is the peculiar province of the minifters of religion; and their conftant efforts will render them worthy of double honour. Mr. Hankin's third caufe nearly refembles his firft. In his judgment, "the condition of the clergy is not fuch as the wants of fociety require"; and if, through a perfuafion that our ecclefiaftical etablishment is perfect, things fhould remain as they now are, he confiders it as "evident, that in the courfe of a few years, either the church will be without ministers, or the bulls of the clergy will confift of the feum of the carth, the dregs and refufe of mankind". Moft inconfiderarely advanced! No fuch degradation of the clerical character is yet apparent: on the contrary, there never has been an æra fince the Reformation, in which fo many perfons of rank and fortune devoted themselves to the ministry. He next laments, that the clergy are no longer permitted to meet in convocation to this he attributes that difufe of ecclefiattical difcipline, which may be traced to far other fources. This writer is ingenious in the multiplication of caufes; his fifth might, without difadvantage to his argumeur, have been incorporated with his fecond. His last caufe is the promifcuous and improvident ufe of lay patronage. Lay patrons, he fays, either fell their prefentation, or give it, referving to themselves a part of the tithes, or they exchange it for a certain number of votes. The cenfure is too general to be juft; in the exercife of lay patronage abufes certainly exift, but the removal of them would trench too far on the rights of individuals. Next follows a very improper difcuffion on the condition of the clergy as it relates to his prefent Majefty. The fcope of the argument is to fhow, that the profperity of the King's defcendants will depend on the ftate of religion; and that the Sovereign is bound, hv perfonal confiderations as well as by higher motives, to fupport and protect the clergy, and to attach them to the throne by the double ties of inter ft and duty. We wish that Mr. H. had laid lefs ftrefs on fecular motives of action, and that he had known his brethren better, than to fuppofe their loyalty to be altogether mercenary, or their dif pofition towards government variable and fickle. We shall not follow him through the remainder of the fection, where we meet with fentiments as repugnant to decency as to juflice: he expects more from the influence of the crown than it is capable of effecting, or than it is reasonable to look for. ART. ART. 33. Proposals for a new Arrangement of the Revenues and Refidence of the Clergy. 8vo. 38 pp. 1s. Winchester. 1802*. This benevolent writer propofes a plan to extinguifh for ever thofe nhappy difputes, which now fo frequently arife between incumbents and their parishioners, about tithes. The outlines of his fcheme are briefly thele: A furvey and valuation to be made by commiflioners, partly lay and partly clerical, of the tithes in each parith; to the amount of which a compofition or rent to be established by them, binding on both parties, until either fhall demand a refurvey." The rights of the clergy would, under fuch a regulation, become very unfettled and precarious and though they would readily accept any due compenfation, which would be permanently equal to the value of their tithes, it cannot be expected that they should thus fubmit to fucceffive references, or hazard the refult of repeated valuations. The experience of ages, even from the time of the Conqueror's Survey to the recent valuation under the Property Act, has shown how liable fuch furveys and valua tions have ever been to error and inaccuracy. Mr. Poulter's plan for the more strict enforcement of refidence is borrowed from the practice of Cathedral Churches: he proposes, that "inftead of the law's execution depending upon the odious intereft or vexatious malice of informers, or even upon the invidious and unequal difcretion of Dioce fans, the penalty for non-refidence fhould, ipfo facto, accrue on the commiflion of the offence: that a register fhould be kept of duty performed, figned at the time by the performer and the clerk, on examination of which at the vifitation, the refult would be the leying the penalties." Yet after this exordium, we find in the detail, that informers ought ftill to be retained, and the difcretionary power of the diocefan admitted. ART. 34 POLITICS. Letters on the Importance of the prefent War. By Allan Macleod, Efq. Letter II. 8vo. 32 pp. IS. Vernor and Hood. 1804. In this Letter (the former having by fome means efcaped our notice) the topic which artit engages this writer's attention is, the opinion of fome perfons, that the British Conftitution is materially defective, as it appears in practice in the third eftate". This opinion, which requires univerfal fuffrage and annual parliaments, he combats, on grounds not new indeed, but juit, obferving that fuch objections, as the prefent moment, are calculated "t deprefs by damping the national zeal". Univerfal fuffrage, he truly afferts, is impracticable; "annual elections" would be annual commo ions". > The conduct of Bonaparte (whom he author denominates uniformly, and κατ' εξοχην, "the tyrant") and what the writer calls "the * This tract came to us without a tile-page; but it is figned, at the end, E. Poulter. |