government and religion, "but in that distracted and infatuated country, where the demon of infidelity, like the fabled image of dif cord, hourly increafing in its fize, feems prepared to scale the turrets of heaven itself."" Of this impious phrenzy, generated from the fumes of an indigefted philofophy in a neighbouring nation, we have not entirely efcaped the contagion, and may, therefore, justly dread its fatal effects. We too may, ere long, not only fee the moft fhocking impieties openly avowed and practifed, and the greatest indignities offered to every thing that bears the name of religion; but, as they have done, we may even revert, in the datage of the blindeft fuperftition, to fome of the most abfurd and ridiculous ceremonies of pagan idolatry. This is faid by Dr. C. with equal pointednefs and propriety. "Unless we are modeft enough to fee and confefs our own blindness," he remarks with yet more seriousness in another place, "and the imperfection of our fo much boafted reason; unless we are fenfible how incompetent our faculties are to comprehend fully the nature of God, and to judge aright of his counfels, we need not wonder if we are led away by that evil heart of unbelief, that is mentioned in the text; which was confidered by Plato of old*, and which, I doubt not, ftill continues to be, one of the most prolific parents of infidelity." "With the modern champions of infidelity," fays the author in p. 15, "it should feem that revealed religion need not apprehend any very fevere conflicts. Even the recent attack made upon it by him, who boafts of having broken the shackles of fuperftition, as well as of def-. potifm, is diftinguifhed by nothing but the affurance, with which he re-produces arguments that have been a thoufand times confuted, and the temerity with which he advances affertions, that it is in the power of every one who can read the Scriptures to contradict. Yet ftill, though fo often repulfed, the unbeliever perfifts in affailing, with his infernal artillery, the adamantine and impregnable citadel of Chriftianity, nay, even the everlasting throne of God himself. Vain and impious mortal! that thus dareft to lift thy puny arm againit the rock of ages!" Thefe extracts will fpeak for themselves to our readers; and the whole discourse shows Dr. Cardew to be a good divine, a good reafoner, and a good writer.

ART. 34. An Anfaver to the Question, Why are you a Chriftian? By John Clarke, Minifter of a Church in Bofton [America.] 12mo. 72 pp. IS. Belknap, Boston. 1795. Johnson, London. 1796. Although the evidences of Christianity are not here placed in any new or very ftriking light, yet the author appears to be much in earneft, when he declares that he has been himself convinced by them, and when he urges them upon his readers, in order to produce their fimilar conviction. His fyftem of doctrine is not clearly explained, and we apprehend it to be in fome refpects not a little defective. The book, however, might have paffed without cenfure, if it had not held forth encomiums upon " republican principles, and revolutions;" (pp. 60, 66)

66

Plato de legibus, lib. x. fub init.

which are furely ill-placed, even by an American, in a work of this kind. Poffibly it was reprinted in England for the fake of those edifying pailages.

ART. 35. The French Revolution exhibited in the light of the facred Oracles: or, A Series of Lectures on the Prophecies now fulfilling, By Alexander Pirie, Newburgh. 8vo. 256 pp. 2s. 6d. Morrifons. Perth. 1795.

The prophecies which Mr. P. confiders" as receiving their accomplishment in the aftonishing events of the prefent age, are particularly fome in Daniel and the Revelation of John," In his commentary on Rev. xi. he endeavours to fhow, that "the great earthquake" is the French revolution-" the city, or great city," Rome

the oth part, or ftreet, of the city," France-" the two witneffes," the Old and New Teftaments" the beast afcending out of the pit, and killing the witneties," the French Convention. From 1 John v. 3, he contends, that "Antichrift" is the Jacobin power. Some learning and ingenuity have, thus far, been difplayed; but without producing in our a inds much conviction. Here, however, the author fpoils all he had done, by one bold, precife, and (we are forry to add) unfortunate conjecture. Had things turned out as he expected he would have been a fecond Fleming. He fays" the three days and an half in the paffage before us (Rev. xi. 11.) muft mean three years and an half; and, confequently, as the Convention flew the witnesses in Summer, 1792, we may expect their refurrection fome time before the end of 1795, or thereabout. Then the laft fhock of the political earthquake, or ftate convulfion, fhall take place, in which the most part of the remaining ring-leaders, in the great apoftacy, fhall be deftroyed, and truth and peace thall once more vifit that nation." P. 112. Alas! four years, and more, have passed, and ftill this application continues unconfirmed.

ART. 36. A Sermon preached at the Meeting-Houfe in Prince's Street, Westminster, on the 18th of October, 1795, upon Occafion of the much lamented Death of the Rev. Andrew Kippis, D. D. F. R. S. and S. A. who departed this Life on the 8th Day of the fame Month, in the seventy-first Year of his Age. To which is added the Addrefs delivered at the Interment of the Deccafed. By Abraham Rees, D. D. F. R. S. Publybed by Request of the Congregation. 8vo. 70 pp. IS. Robinions. 1795.

writer.

Dr. Kippis was, as we can teftify, a man of mild and pleafing manners in fociety, and, as the world knows, an able and judicious We have before noticed one tribute to his merit, from his brethren; this, by Dr. Rees, is more full and fatisfactory, and contains a good biographical sketch. At the end is a list of Dr. Kippis's works, extending to twenty-five articles. We are happy to unite in

* See Brit. Crit. vol. vii. p. 452.*

the

the commendation of a man fo refpectable in character, talents, and acquirements.

ART. 37. A Sermon preached on Wednesday, March 9, 1796. Being the Day appointed for a general Faft. By an Herefordjbire Curate. 8vo. 16 pp. 6d. Davies, Hereford; Martin and Bain, London. 1796.

"The causes of juft and neceffary war are ftated by the most emi, nent writers to be thefe; the prefervation of ourselves and property,' &c. P. 12. This is precifely the ground of the prefent war, into which we were forced by the profligate policy of our enemies and, therefore, an exhortation to "quit ourfelves like men and fight," (1 Sam. iv. 9) would have been much more feasonable than a common-place declamation against war in general, and a filly infinuation, that this conteft was entered into, on our part, for "the opportunity of aggrandifement which it affords to a few." P. 13.

ART. 38. Religion effential to the Being and Happiness of Society. A Sermon for the Faft Day, March 9, 1796. By Alexander Hewat, D. D. 8vo, 29 pp. Cadell and Murray. 1796.

Dr. H. taking for his text Pfalm xciv. 16, firft enquires, who they are among us, who may juftly be ftyled evil-doers, and by what mark and characters the workers of iniquity ftand diftinguished: and, fecondly, he urges the neceffity of union among thofe who do well, in order to fruftrate the defigns, and weaken the hands, of evil-doers. This is a very folid and useful difcourfe. The reader is not informed where it was pronounced, nor whether it was pronounced at all. But it would not have done difcredit to any preacher, or any pulpit.

ART. 39. The Chriftian's Duty to God and the Conflitution. A Sermon preached at the Meeting-Houfe at Ludlow, in the County of Salop, on Sunday, November 1, 1795, By J. H. Prince, Preacher of the Gofpel in London. Published by Requeft. 8vo. 26 pp. 6d. Parfons. 1796.

We can justly commend the piety, loyalty, and good intention difplayed in this difcourfe. But we cannot praise it, as a compofition, either for conftitutional knowledge, elegance, novelty, or vigour. The author must be admonished to abstain from the ufe of fuch very familiar phrafes, as "our Lord turned the tables upon them." P. 3.

ART. 40. A Letter to the Hon. and Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Ely, on the Subject of a new and authoritative Tranflation of the Holy Scriptures. By George Burges, B. A. Svo. 42 pp. IS. Jacob, Peterborough; Longman, London. 1796.

Mr. Burges ftates three of the principal objections, which have been made by other writers, against a new tranflation: namely, the respect due to our prefent verfion, from its intrinfic excellency; the advantages derived from its antiquity; and the hazard of fuch an experiment to people of weak understandings, but of honeft faith, P. 7.

He

He briefly urges thefe objections, and then proceeds to a fourth, which appears to him irrefiftible, and which is founded upon the ill-confequences that may be apprehended from fuch a step, in the prefent ftate of fociety. This objection is urged with confiderable force, and is, doubtlefs, well deferving of attention. We apprehend that another objection, lefs difputable, might have been fubjoined; namely, that the vaft additions which learned men, of various countries, are now making to the ftores of biblical learning, render it highly probable that a new translation of the Scriptures, atchieved fome years hence, will approach much nearer to perfection than one which should be attempted at present.

Mr. B. digreffes a little, in fpeaking of the French revolution. He was a paffionate admirer of it in its firit ftages, as many well-intentioned perfons were, who faw but a fhort way before them. But he now fpeaks of it, and of the principal actors in it, with that warm abhorrence which can fcarcely fail to arife in every virtuous and wellnurtured mind.

At p. 36 we meet with a vifionary project, concerning a national education, or fyftem of inttruction, which, free as the light of heaven, fhall embrace every foul breathing" and, at p. 41, we find another vifion, concerning "a period, when, by a due cultiva tion of the powers of the understanding, we may prudently difpenfe with the rites and ceremonies, and reft with comfort and confidence in the Spirit of our religion." Allowance being candidly made for thefe and fome other excentricities (particularly at p. 41, concerning fuperftition) this tract may be read with fatisfaction.

ART. 41. Regal Rights confiftent with national Liberties. A Sermon preached at St Mary's, Oxford, on Sunday, June 21, 1795. To which is fubjoined an Appendix, containing Extracts from the Papers, c. prefented to the House of Commons, by Mr. Secretary Dundas, in 1794. With a few fuitable Obfervations. By W. Hawkins, A. M. Prebendary of Wells, and Vicar of Whitchurch, Dorfet. Svo. 33 PP. 15. Cooke, Oxford; Rivingtons, London. 1795.

This is a refpectable argument, but mixed with fome declamation, against equality, and in favour of royalty. The preacher, in his exordium, gives us reason to expect that the fubject will be fet in a new light. P. 2. In this refpect we have not been much gratified. But, while demagogues are daily infufing their poifon, through the prefs, into the public mind, the real friends to our conftitution must not be idle. Whenever occafion offers they will be well employed in oppofing old truths to old falfehoods. At p. 24 fome very juft political fentiments are expreffed with due force and honeft freedom. The appendix may help to convince any perfons, who have been weak or inconfiderate enough to doubt it," that numbers have in contemplation the utter ruin of church and state, and the invasion of private property allo." P. 30.

ART.

ART. 42. A Faft Sermon preached at Margaret's Chapel, at St. James' Church, and St. Michael's, Bath, in the Years 1794 and 1795. By Willian Robert Wake, Vicar of Backwell, Curate of St. Michael's, and Chaplain to the Earl of Bristol, 4to. 15 PP. Is. Dilly. 1796.

We find here a manly and judicious addrefs to the reafon and Chriftian feelings of the audience, upon the unexpected prolongation of the war. The fentiments are pious and loyal, and the language forcible and correct.

ART. 43. A Sermon preached before the University of Cambridge, October 25, 1795: The Anniversary of his Majesty's Acceffion to the Throne. By Edward Pearfon, B. D. Fellow of Sidney-Suffex ColLege, Cambridge. 8vo. 26 pp. 6d. Rivingtons.

From an eulogium on the monarch and monarchy of this country, and fome remarks on the Ariftocratic orders, Mr. Pearfon proceeds to lay down the neceffity of attending to the mode of electing thofe members of the legislature, whofe appointment refts with the people. Mr. P. recommends the pure and unbiaffed difpofal of fuffrage in this inftance, as in a high degree important to the welfare of the government and country. The language in this difcourfe is familiar, and the fentiments are rather just and useful, than novel or striking.

ART. 44. Proverbs, Ecclefiaftes, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclefiafticus. With an introductory Preface. 12mo. 227 PP. 2s. 6d. Boult, Egham; Longman, London. 1796.

While the maxims of ancient wifdom, derived from other nations, have been tranflated and circulated in various forms, the fenfible author of the preface regrets that the fame advantage has not been given to the infpired wisdom of the Hebrews. The reason, doubtlefs, is, that thefe books are comprised in that volume which all are fuppofed to poffefs; but it may be ufeful to prefent them alfo in this portable and convenient form.

POLITICS.

ART. 45. Interefting State Papers, from Prefident Washington, M. Fauchet, and M. Adet, the late and prefent Ambassador from the French Convention to the United States of America. Likewife Conferences with George Hammond, Efq. Minifter Plenipotentiary from his Britan nic Majefty, as laid by the Prefident before the Legislature of the United States in their prefent Seffion. Quoted by Edward Randolph, late Secretary of State, and included in a Defence of his Refignation of that Office. 8vo. 136 PP. 3s. 6d. Philadelphia, printed. Reprinted by Owen. 1796.

Some letters from Fauchet, the French ambassador in America, had been taken in the Jean Bart, and fince have been published. From

them