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NOTICES AND REVIEWS.

(From a Correspondent.)

Sermons. By the Rev. F. Kilvert. London: Taylor and Walton. 1837. pp. 296.

THE labours of Mr. Kilvert have been long known and appreciated at Bath, in which city he has resided for many years. On relinquishing his situation of evening lecturer at St. Mary's, Bathwick, he has been induced, at the request of his friends, to commit to the press a volume of sermons, delivered from the pulpit of that church. And, in so doing, he has not only complied with the wishes of those who best know and most appreciate his worth, but has conferred a service on the church at large. The writer of this notice has great pleasure in directing attention to this little volume, which will meet with a ready acceptance among all those who value earnestness, simplicity, affectionateness, and that calmness and sobriety of teaching which is the peculiar characteristic of the church of England.

The following passage is the opening of Sermon xiii., entitled "The Pastor's Survey of his Flock:"

"It is recorded of a great monarch of antiquity, that when, on the eve of invading an enemy's country, he beheld the land covered with his forces, and the sea swarming with his ships, he felt a momentary flush of triumph, and magnified himself on his greatness. But within a short space, his joy was turned into sorrow, and he wept. His courtiers, surprised at the sudden alteration, asked the cause. He told them,

that he wept at the reflection, that of the myriads before him not one would be left surviving in a hundred years.

"Something like this is the feeling of the Christian minister, when he looks round on a numerous congregation. Vast, indeed, as was the armament of Xerxes, his feeling must yield, both in depth and intensity, to that of the preacher. His views, we must conceive, were bounded by the present life; and he wept at the sweeping triumph of death only as the last of human evils. But the minister of Christ looks deeper into the abyss of futurity. It is his privilege to know not only that it is appointed unto men once to die, but after that the judgment.' As the illuminated eye of the prophet beheld the countless multitudes of his countrymen, as in the valley of decision-that valley near Jerusalem, which an ancient Jewish tradition pointed out as the final gathering place of their nation-so does the minister of Christ look forward to the period when he shall meet those to whom he has preached the gospel of salvation, at the time and place of final decision, even before the tribunal of the Son of God."

The Heart's Ease; or, a Remedy against all Troubles, Sc. By S. Patrick, D.D., successively Bishop of Chichester and Ely; with a Biographical Sketch of the Author, by Henry H. Swinny, B.A., Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge. Cambridge: T. Stevenson. 1837. pp. 282.

Pious churchmen will feel much indebted to Mr. Swinny for this neat and pleasing reprint of one of Bishop Patrick's valuable opuscula. Prefixed is a brief biographical sketch of that excellent prelate, which does equal credit to the head and heart of the writer. Patrick was preferred to the rectory of St. Paul's, Convent Garden, in 1662; and intrepidly remained in his parish during the awful visitation of 1665. "The same firmness of character," says Mr. S., "which he had shewn,

in adhering to his duties in the midst of bodily danger, he exhibited in his not less perilous position at the court of James the Second, unmoved by the king's personal efforts to convert him. It appears that his answer to these efforts was-"I cannot give up a religion so well proved as that of the protestants." (p. 7.) The principles maintained in Bishop Patrick's Treatise on Tradition, published with other important tracts in Gibson's Preservative against Popery, would have caused him to be branded as a papist by one set of persons in this country at the present day.

The Parliamentary Guide: a concise Biography of the Members of both Houses of Parliament, their Connexions, &c. By R. B. Mosse, Esq., Parliamentary Agent. London: A. H. Baily and Co. 1838.

THIS is by far the best work of the kind which has come under the reviewer's notice. It has evidently been compiled with great care and diligence. It is highly useful, thoroughly conservative, and ought to be in the hands of every person who desires an acquaintance with the political institutions of his country.

Devotional Hymns, &c. By the Rev. Richard Lane Freer, M.A. Birmingham : H. C. Langbridge. 1837. pp. 71.

THESE hymns are written in a devotional spirit; but as tastes differ so widely on sacred poetry, the reviewer thinks it best to allow every one to judge for himself, by giving a specimen :

Blow the trumpet, sound the horn;

The contest now is done.

Christ arose with the early morn;

The victory is won.

The Lord has risen from the grave,
And gained the victory.
Our fallen race He died to save;
And he has set us free.

To Jesus, our triumphant King,
Who died and rose for man,
Our hearts in homage let us bring-
The only gift we can.

Thy wondrous mercy we adore;

And oh thy heavenly grace,
We pray thee, Lord, be pleased to pour,
On thy redeemed race.-p. 33.

A Course of Plain Sermons, on the Ministry, Doctrine, and Services of the Church of England: with a Preface and occasional Notes. By the Rev. Francis Fulford, A.B., Rector of Trowbridge, Wilts, and late Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. London: Rivingtons. 1837. 8vo. pp. 239. THESE excellent sermons deserve a longer notice than the limits of a Magazine will admit of. They are introduced by a preface of sixty-three pages, great part of which the reviewer would gladly have transcribed, had his space permitted. As this, however, is impossible, his readers must be contented with the following extracts:—

"If it is desirable," says Mr. Fulford," at all times, that the members of the church should be well informed upon these subjects, (i. e., the nature and constitution of the church, &c.,) as being intimately connected with their spiritual growth, and their stedfastness in the true faith, once delivered to the saints,' so, more espe cially, is it not only desirable, but absolutely necessary, in the present day, when the great body of professing followers of Christ, instead of appearing like 'Jerusalem, a city that was at unity in itself, whither all the tribes went up to worship together,' are split into multitudes of sects and parties, differing from each other not only respecting minor points, but some disagreeing about the essential constitution of the

church as a visible body, some about the administration of the sacrament of baptism, and others about vital points of faith and doctrine; when the idea of one holy catholic apostolic church is derided and put aside, all reverence for the voice of the church,' as such, made light of; and when each individual is encouraged to look upon himself as fully qualified to be the builder of his own Zion, or to heap to himself whatever teachers he may please, the only qualification usually demanded to constitute a minister of Christ's church being the talents of a popular preacher, thus nullifying the ordinance of Christ, and magnifying the servant instead of his Master We have been so used to take all these matters [the succession, &c.] as already proved and established, that they have, for the most part, long since ceased to be made subjects of exhortation and explanation in our addresses to our congregations. And now, when some of these points are put forward, because they appear in a new light to those who have never been accustomed to think of them, men are startled at the sound, and immediately conclude that they savour of popery; but the truth is, they are not new in themselves, however new they may appear to any individuals now. They have ceased to be novelties ever since the apostolic age; they were the sentiments of the church in all its purest days; and so far from their savouring of popery, they are the only grounds upon which popery can be effectually argued against and opposed. I have endeavoured to bring these important subjects together in as brief and simple a form as I was able, in order that it might be adapted for popular use."-Introduction, pp. 13-15.

Mr. Fulford next proceeds to prove the apostolical succession by holy scripture and catholic antiquity, and then remarks on the moderation, and wisdom, and reverence to authority, displayed in the reformation of the Anglican church, and ably contrasts them with the blind and indiscriminate zeal of some of the continental reformers. At page 37, he gives an important quotation from Cranmer's Catechism, which clearly expresses the sentiments of that blessed martyr on the institution of episcopacy. Thus ::

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"The holy Apostle St. Paul, good children, (10th Rom.) writeth on this fashion, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, &c. By the which words St. Paul does evidently declare unto us two lessons: the first is, that it is necessary to our salvation to have preachers and ministers of God's most holy word, to instruct us in the true faith and knowledge of God. The second is, that preachers must not run to this high honour before they he called thereto Learn diligently, I pray you, by what words Jesus Christ gave this commission and commandment to his ministers Our Lord Jesus breathed on his apostles, and said, Receive the Holy Ghost, &c. . After Christ's ascension, the apostles gave authority to other godly and holy men, to minister God's word Where they found godly men, and meet to preach God's word, they laid their bands upon them, and gave them the Holy Ghost to execute their office. And so the ministration of God's word (which our Lord Jesus Christ himself did first institute,) was derived from the apostles unto others after them, by the imposition of hands, and giving the Holy Ghost, from the apostles' time to our days. And this was the consecration, orders, and unction, of the apostles, whereby they, at the beginning, made bishops and priests; and this shall continue in the church, even to the world's end."

At pages 39 and 43, Mr. F. powerfully exhibits the dreadful consequences which have followed the rejection of episcopacy, and— the necessary attendant on this-the wanton disregard of the testimony of the primitive church. "Our church was providentially preserved from the guilt of committing either of these sins; and in her creeds and different formularies of faith, many of them handed down from the earliest times, are embodied the doctrines and principles of the church universal in all ages." Mr. Fulford concludes his "Introduction" by noticing the different sects now existing amongst us. Is he not incorrect in the statement, (page 48,) that VOL. XIII.-Jan, 1838.

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the Baptists in Germany called themselves Ana-baptists? Was not that term applied to them derisively by their opponents? Heartily does the reviewer agree with the eloquent remarks at page 55 to the end. The warmest charity and kindness towards the persons of the erroneous are perfectly consistent with the strongest condemnation of

error.

Of the seventeen sermons, of which the remainder of Mr. Fulford's volume consists, little more need be said, than that they amply fulfil the promise of the "Introduction." They are able exhibitions of the doctrines of scripture and the church, on many important points, and will, doubtless, be read with pleasure and profit by many of the sons of the church of England.

Sermons, Practical and Doctrinal. By the Rev. Robert Wood Kyle, B.A., Trinity College, Dublin. London: Houlston and Son. 1837. 8vo. pp. 439. THIS volume of sermons ought to have received an earlier notice, but from accidental circumstances it was overlooked. It consists, as its title page expresses it, of doctrinal and practical sermons. They are written with much earnestness and warmth, and contain many useful statements and excellent exhortations. To the reviewer, however, it seems that there is too much attempt to be striking on all occasions; but this (if Mr. Kyle is young, as from his degree of B.A. it may be presumed he is,) is likely to be amended by time. In one of the Advent Sermons the author speaks of the second coming of our Lord, and says, among other things, "that the commonly received opinion of the conversion of the world previous to the second advent, has, I have no doubt, originated from a misconception of the Saviour's declaration, that the gospel must first be published among all nations.'" He argues that this means, that it shall be preached as a witness, (which he infers from the parallel passage,) and that it does not imply that it shall be received. He says, however, that its preaching for a witness signifies the publication of such a message of God's truth in every nation that they who receive it shall be saved, and those who receive it not shall be without excuse; and argues that in ages past it may have been so preached in every nation. These are points, it appears to the reviewer, not to be disposed of in a summary manner, even though turned, as it is here, to the excellent purpose of warning men to repent now, before it be too late. Such points require a careful study of all that prophecy delares; and although each individual is at liberty to form his own judgment, as Mr. Kyle has done, it is desirable it should be expressed as a matter on which it is a Christian duty not to pronounce too peremptorily. This point it was desirable just to mention thus, but in general it may fairly be said that very debateable topics are not brought forward in the volume ; and it is hoped that it may meet with an extensive sale, as much of it is calculated to do good, and the purpose for which it is published is highly deserving of encouragement.

The profits of this work are to be applied to the augmentation of the endowment of the vicarage of Wrockwardine Wood.

1838.

Heath's Book of Beauty. Longman and Co. 8vo. THE engravings in this volume consist partly of portraits of ladies, partly of fancy sketches. Of the former it may generally be said, that there is much beauty in them, and nothing to offend; but in some of the fancy sketches, there is what can be called by no softer name than indecency. It is gratifying to think that, whatever may be the taste of the public, or of those who supply it with its amusements, the ladies of England do not choose their portraits to be drawn in the styles which some artists are pleased to indulge in when left to their own fancies. The letter press appears to be much like that of other annuals.

Edited by the Countess of Blessington.

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The Scenic Annual for 1838. Edited by T. H. Campbell, Esq., Author of "The Pleasures of Hope," &c. London: G. Virtue. 1838. 4to. THERE are many very beautiful scenes delineated in this volume; and to those who have not seen either the Switzerland or the Scotland of Dr. Beattie, they will be new; but to the writer of this notice some of them appear familiar, from having looked over parts of those works. The scenes are, however, generally well selected and the engravings good, although the figures are not always judiciously introduced; e. g., a party of fine ladies at Kosciusko's monument. thing ought to be observed. The publishers, no doubt, wish a general circulation for their book. In that case, they ought to instruct the editor not to make a work of general amusement the vehicle of party politics. The attack on the Duke of Wellington (p. 45) might have been omitted, unless Mr. Campbell is prepared to give a full account of the transaction; and is unjustifiable, if the duke was not apprised of it, though he would probably have treated any notice from Mr. Campbell with more indifference than he is alleged to have treated the message of Lord W. Bentinck.

Sermons on the Apostles' Creed. Preached in the Episcopal Chapel of St. John the Evangelist, Edinburgh, by the Rev. George Alyffe Poole, B.A. Edinburgh: R. Grant. 1837. 8vo. pp. 392.

THIS book is inscribed to Dr. Hook, and contains twenty-one discourses on the Apostles' Creed. Mr. Poole is not a popular preacher in the usual sense of that term, if one may judge from these specimens of his pulpit composition; but he is, what some will think far better, a learned, devout, and in general a sound and sober expositor of holy writ. The ground which he traverses in the volume under review has been gone over so often by our greatest theologians, that little information can, of course, be gained from it by individuals who are already conversant with our standard divinity. But few, alas! have quaffed of this "well of English undefiled;" and to all who have not, these sermons on the Creed will afford instruction of a very good kind. In the fifteenth sermon, Mr. P. exhibits his view of "the sum of the difference between the catholic doctrine" and the errors of sectarists

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