hearers against encouraging any truft in "experiences, fenfible impreffions, fudden illuminations", which are made by enthusiasts the chief tests of fpiritual progrefs; but are veiled in a studied obfcurity by a late apologift of that fect.

The latter part of the Charge is employed on the late Bill for Refidence, which the Bifhop diftinctly explains and unequivocally approves; declaring his own refolution to execute the provifions of it "faithfully, confiderately, and temperately". The whole of the Charge is perfectly in unifon with the established character of the Bishop of R. not only as a polite and finished scholar, but as a fincere and pious divine,

ART. 17. A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocefe of London, in the Year 1803. By the Right Reverend Beilby, Lord Bishop of that Diocefe. 8vo. 40 pp. IS. Cadell and Davies. 1804.

The prefent Charge, a new proof of the abilities and paftoral care of the Bishop of London, is opened by a particular notice of the dangers which arofe from our temporary peace; of thofe corruptions which were flowing in, during our fhort intercourfe with the continent; ftating, in oppofition to them, the proper influence of the parochial clergy, in counteracting fuch evils. The good prelate fpeaks with a becoming confidence of the internal ftrength of the Church, fuppofing only a due and laudable exertion in its members. Against the Theorists who formerly attempted to decry all ecclefiaftical eftablishments, he points the confpicuous examples of America and France; the former, by the teftimony of travellers, rapidly declining in religious character; the latter, compelled by the abfolute neceffity of the cafe to restore a kind of establishment. To the zeal and fidelity of the clergy of our own church, in thefe perilous times, the Bishop of London (as the Bishop of Rochester alfo has done) bears ample testimony (p. 16).

But the most extenfive part of this Charge relates to the education of the poor, and is introduced by the mention of Sunday Schools. From the frongeft conviction, arifing from knowledge and experience, the Bishop preffes the great duty of giving wholefome knowledge to the lower claffes. Of Sunday Schools he thinks highly, and reports fome excellent effects; but, at all events, he contends" that, in fome way or other, in Sunday fchools, in charity fchools, in day fchools, in fchools of industry, or whatever fpecies of fchool you think fit, the children of the poor ought to be educated." P. 24. As a fact in point to this fubject, his Lordship mentions the cafe of Ieland, where grofs ignorance certainly has not been accompanied by loyalty, or any falutary effects. Alter contrafting the effects of inftruction here, he adds, highly to the honour of his head and heart, "It has, I know, been fometimes afferted, that ignorance is the mother of devotion. It is no fuch thing. It is the mother of fuperftition, of bigotry, of fanaticifm, of difaffection, of cruelty, and of rebellion. Thefe are its legitimate children. It has never yet produced any other; and never will to the end of the world: and we may lay this down as an inconteftible truth, that a well-informed and intelligent people, more par

ticularly

ticularly a people weil acquainted with the facred writings, will always be more orderly, more decent, more humane, more virtuous, more religious, more obedient to their fuperiors, than a people totally devoid of all instruction, and all education." P. 29.

The general character of the Bishop of London's Charges is obfervable in this. It is found, perfpicuous, and instructive: expreffive of a fincere regard for the welfare of the church and people, and a confcientious feeling of the very important duties attached to the fituation of a Bishop.

ART. 18. A Sermon, preached before his Excellency Philip, Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Lieutenant, Prefident, and the Members of the Ajociation incorporated for difcountenancing Vice, and promoting the Knowledge and Practice of the Chriftian Religion, in St. Peter's Church (Dublin) on Thursday, January 27, 1803. By the Rev. John Jebb, A. M. 8vo. 125 pp. Watson and Son, Dublin. 1803.

The general purpose of this difcourse, on Pfalm i. 2, 3, is, to show the influence of true religion upon human happinefs. It is proved, at fome length and incontestably, that this religion is to be found, not in the volumes of human philofophy, but only in the facred Scriptures; the study of which is therefore earnestly enforced upon the Members of the Affociation, and the diffemination of them anong the poor, vigorously inculcated. The Sermon itself is both foundly argumentative and eloquent; and the copious notes which attend it, difplay much reading in ancient as well as in modern writers. The proceedings of the Affociation (detailed in the Appendix) do indeed "afford matter of gratification to all who are interested in the advancement of religion and virtue"; and prove it to be (which is no finall praife) worthy of the concurrence it has met with from the Society in London for promoting Chriftian Knowledge.

ART. 19. Causes of the Inefficacy of Fafs; in a Sermon, preached at the Octagon-Chapel, Bath, on the Faft-Day, Odober 19, 1803. By the Rev. John Gardiner, D. D. 8vo. 53 pp. 1s. 6d. Haichard. 1803.

A difcourfe delivered with energy and propriety, and recommended by the character of the preacher (as we fuppofe this to have been) may gratify very highly a friendly congregation, though, unaided by fuch circumstances, it may appear to an indifferent reader fomewhat tedious, and fail to excite in him much intereft or admiration. The very It the lofs of any bleffing opening of this difcourfe is unfortunate. But the ought to be felt in proportion to its value". So far, well. next maxim is fcarcely intelligible; and, if we understand it, noadmiffible: "if the vexations of a difappointment fhould be regulated by the exultations of an oppofite fuccefs". P. 3. Many unfortunate attempts at oratory might be produced; anong which are, "as a gleam of funfhine which creates animation, but by its fudden difappearance excites regret'. P. 5. "Urgent preparations for a neceffary war, the tumult and din of arms, the prancing horses and chariots raise up a duft which intercepts the view of our tranfgreffions and

fins". P. 14. Luxury, the bloated offsoring of opulence and profperity, which fcatters its noxious feeds in the pureft and most fertile foils". P. 24. But whatever the difcourfe may want of intrinfic vigour, the preacher has endeavoured to fupply the defect by a feries, al- ́ most unbroken, of interjections and interrogations.

ART. 20. An Exhortation to the due Obfervance of the approaching National Faft: in an Addrefs from a Minifter to his Parishioners. By Edward Pearfon, B. D. Rector of Rempftone, Nottinghamfbire. 8vo. 16 pp. 3d. or 2s. 6d, a Dozen. Spragg. 1803.

In the opening of this Exhortation, we find a piece of instruction fo very feafonable and useful, and (as we judge) incontrovertible; that we cannot do better, than by extracting and recommending it to the attention of our readers.

"The opinion, that religion has nothing to do with our political duties, that is, with thofe duties, which are required from us as members of the community or civil fociety, of which we make a part, is a mistake, into which people are very apt to run. I am auxious, therefore, to guard you againft it; and more efpecially at this moment, when, if it fhould prevail among you, as I have fome reafon to suppose it has done, it may hinder y ju from the performance of the neceifary duty, to which, by the authority of your Sovereign, you are now called. This mistake has of late met with encouragement from fome men of great name, who have spoken against the practice of treating on politics in the pulpit. If, by speaking against political preaching, they only mean to condemn the practice of those preachers, if any fuch there be, who, in their difcourfes from the pulpit, enter into the merits of particular political questions, which are of a dubious nature; into thofe queftions, by which, in the ever-existing contentions for place and power, one political party is diftinguished from another; and by which each, in its turn, endeavours to of tain the afcendancy, they are undoubtedly in the right. These questions, having nothing to do with the duties of the people at large, and having only for their object the gratification of worldly ambition, ought not to be mixed with the confiderations of religion, and are by no means proper fubjects of difcuffion in the pulpit. But if, by political preaching, be meant the difcuffion of thofe duties, which all men in their feveral stations, as members of the community, to which they belong, owe to that com. munity, there is fcarcely any fubject, at least any fubject in which their prefent happiness is concerned, on which they have more need to be informed of what is required of them, or more need to be exhorted to the performance of it." P. 3.

"Let it not be thought, then, that a minifter of the Gospel, in directing the attention of his hearers to the confideration of any class of duties, and more efpecially to duties of fo important a nature as thofe owing to the ftate, at all steps out of the limits of his proper province, or that he is not performing one of the neceffary offices of his profeffion." P. 6.

Mr. P. feems to conclude (p. 11) from the declarations of the rebel Emmett at his trial, that thofe Irifh traitors, who knew the French

beft,

beft, would not accept their affiftance in an invafion of the country. Here we differ from him in opinion; and, we think, that any reliance upon fuch a declaration would be full of danger. That impetuous young man (an aweful warning to young men in all places) feems to have been no party in the fecrets of hoary-headed con1pirators.

We ftrongly recommend this little tract to our readers, as worthy to be diftributed by them among their neighbours; to whom a more inAtructive exhortation cannot eafily be given.

ART. 21.

Letters on the Atonement, By Charles Jerram, A. M. 8vo. 124 PP. 2s. 6d. Rivingtons, &c. London; Wife, Wifbeach.

1804.

In a late periodical publication, one of the profeffed advocates for the doctrine of the Atonement, in fact, aimed a mortal blow at it, by an affault upon the doctrine of Satisfaction for Sin. The "reafons for rejecting this latter doctrine" feeming to comprise the ufual objec tions to that of the Atonement, and calculated alfo to overbear the humble Chriftian; Mr. J. undertakes, 1. to answer those objections; 2. to establish the doctrine itself, by fcripture evidence, and by the nature of the Jewish facrifices and priesthood; and, laftly, to fhow, "that it is perfectly confonant with our own ideas of fitnefs; and is founded upon thofe principles which can alone reconcile forgiveness of fin with the conduct of a wife and benevolent Governor." He has accomplished thefe points in a very argumentative and fatisfactory manner, as we were led to expect, by his feveral former publications. Mr. J. however, candidly acknowledges, that," as his object was to furnish the common Chriftian with a plain defence and fupport of a fundamental doctrine, he did not aim fo much at originality, as clear argumentation; and therefore he has not fcrupled to take the ground, and adopt fome of the arguments, of an excellent anonymous pamphlet, printed at Leeds, and which is generally afcribed to the pen of the pious and very fenfible Mr. Hey of that place." He has extracted alfo, and abridged, fome Notes from the work of Dr. Magee on this fubject, which he not lefs juftly than highly commends.

The epiftolary form, in which the controverfy is here carried on, feems to us inconvenient; it produces a fuperfluity of words, which abates the reader's attention, by a tax upon his time unneceffarily impofed. The form and title of the treatife might have been, the Doctrine of Atonement vindicated against certain Objections, and establifhed by Arguments drawn from Scripture a d from Reason. But the work being very refpectable, we have pleasure in recommending it under any form or title.

ART. 22. An Addrefs to the Volunteers of Bromley and Bow, Middlefex, and of Weft Ham, Effex. Delivered in the Baptift Meeting-House, Bow, on Lord's Day Afternoon, December 18, 1803. By William Newman. 8vo. 29 PP. IS. Button. 1804.

With a very commendable zeal for the caufe in which we are engaged, this Diffenting Minifter addreffes the Volunteers of his own

and

and the adjacent diftrict. He reminds them." of the goodness of their caufe, their obligations to the most strenuous and valiant exertions, the encouragements they have to hope for fuccefs, the fnares of their prefent fituation, and the importance of their being not only good foldiers, but alfo good foldiers of Jefus Chrift". In the difcuffion of thefe several topics, if we do not fee much to admire, there is at least every appearance of good intentions, which we cannot but approve. The author, in ftating (which he does, perhaps, with too much triumph) the comparatively great attention paid to religion in this country, naturally introduces various focieties of Diffenters to our notice, and fpeaks with refpect of thofe whom he calls "the evangelical clergy". We cannot be fuppofed to feel fo much partiality to thefe pretended evangelical teachers, nor to be pleafed, as this author feems to be, with the multiplication of " itinerant preachers". He does not, however, throw any obloquy on the established church; and his Addrefs, though not diftinguished by great ability, had, no doubt, when delivered, its proper effect.

ART. 23. Britain's Defence. A Sermon, preached August 21, 1803. in the Proteftant Denting Meeting-Houfe, Batterfea. By Jofeph Hughes, A. M. Second Edition. 8vo. 42 PP. 15. James, Brif

tol; Williams, &c. London. 1803.

The characteristic of this difcourfe is incongruity. At p. 9 we read, "Never, in the memory of the oldeft man, was our country expofed to fo much danger. An enemy, confcious of talent, flufhed with fuccefs, inflamed with refentment, and full of refources, meditates an affault tremendous without a parallel": in the next page, "fhould the enemy defy us in the most infulting terms, and approach to defolate the empire; fhould the jufiice of our caufe be demonftrated, and our confidence of fuccefs be fupported by the strongest probability—even then I would ask, "Is there not fome gentle expedient which we have overlooked? Even then, unpopular as the fuggeftion may be, I would footh, and fupplicate [not fo will our Volunteers do], and refign a large portion of our right, rather than contend." And what is the obvious confequence of fuch a refignation? Why, the refigning of another and larger portion within a year, or perhaps a month; and fo on, as long as we have aught to be refigned. At pp. 18, 19, the preacher declaims against fpending a fingie hour of the fabbath day in military exercifes. We do not juftify it on the grounds which he chooses to imagine, but folely on the ground of neceffity. If we may fight the enemy when he comes, on that day; and if the time for learning to fight him be as fhort as he has told us it is, where is the difference in the neceflity of the two things? Yet we by no means harthly blame those who have fcruples on the fubject; and we recommend to them the fame abftinence from judging. "We have reafon to be thankful, that our political harmony was never more entire." P. 25. The preacher did not anticipate certain debates in February and March, 1804; when the enemy was fuppofed, by all parties, to be at our very door. We may commend the preacher's good intentions; butnot the foundnefs, either of his judgment or his eloquence.

ART