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met with a favourable reception from the public. They are now collected by his fon, out of refpect to his father's memory, and to afford gratification to those who were acquainted with his excellent character, by putting them in poffeffion of fuch a memorial of his pious labours." They are fenfible, ferious, and practical; and are cloathed in correct and pleafing language.

The "Sermons by James Gillefpie, D. D. late Principal of St. Mary's College, in the University of St. Andrew's, publifhed from the Author's Manufcripts by George Hill, D. D." in their conftruction and phrafeology approach more nearly to the models of the puritanical writers of the last century, than to thofe elegant productions of modern times, from which divines both in north and fouth Britain have derived confiderable reputation. On that account, however, they will prove the more acceptable to certain claffes of readers, as well as from the uniform agreement of their theology with the fyftem of opinions eftablifhed in the Scottish church. They do not appear to have been the refult of much study, and are employed on common pulpit topics.

Mr. Veyfie, in his "Doctrine of the Atonement illuftrated and defended, in eight Sermons, preached before the Univerfity of Oxford, in the Year 1795," at the Bampton lecture, undertakes to refute the arguments generally adduced to prove that the fcriptures afford no countenance to fuch an opinion; and thofe, in particular, which are advanced by Dr. Priestley in his Hiftory of the Corruptions of Chrifti anity. In purfuing his plan, he quits the high grounds of fatisfaction to divine juftice, and imputed

righteoufnefs, and understands by the atonement of the Chriftian fcriptures, reconciliation with God, which the death of Chrift hath procured for the believing and penitent, as a propitiatory facrifice. That this is the doctrine of the New Teftament he maintains, from the facrifical language made use of in defcribing the effects refulting from the death of Chrift, which, he contends, is analogical, and not merely figurative, and implies a correfpondence, in nature and defign, between the Jewish facrifices for fin, and the hedding of the blood of Chrift. Thefe topics employ a confiderable part of his volume; the remainder is devoted to an examination of Dr. Prieftley's Moral Arguments against the Doctrine, and the practical application of it. Thefe fermons juftly entitle Mr. Veyfie to the praise of ingenuity, moderation, and candour, whatever may be the opinion entertained refpecting his fuccefs in terminating the controversy.

Mr. Gray's" Sermons on the Principles upon which the Reformation of the Church of England was established," preached at the fame lecture, contain a learned, ingenious, and elegant defence of the eftablishment of which the author is a member. With very cautious and reftricted conceffions on the fubject of "fuch further regulations, as fhall be proved to be clearly expedient, and favourable to the advancement of Chriftianity," Mr. Gray ftrenuously contends for the preservation of things as they are; and he boldly afferts, that the civil magiftrate, from the relation in which he stands to God, is under facred obligations" to accept Chriftianity, to erect it with formal ratification and public inftitutions, to provide for its mini

fters

fters with competent maintenance, and to preserve its eftablishment by arrangements adapted to its character, and confiftent with the general welfare of his fubjects." To fuch doctrine it is not every zealous churchman that can fubfcribe; and fectaries will pronounce it to be untenable, dogniatical, and futile. In many parts of these difcourfes the author difcovers a commendable fpirit of toleration and liberality; but he occafionally forgets himself fo far as to rail against those who attack Chriftianity, and what he deems to be its fundamental doctrines, and to infift on the neceffity of the magiftrates inflicting on them civil penalties. On the whole, we cannot fay that Mr. Gray has brought forward any new matter on the subjects which he engaged to illuftrate, or that fuch difcuffion was called for in the prefent fituation of the religious world.

The "Sermons by George Hill, D. D. &c. Principal of St. Mary's College in the Univerfity of St. Andrew's, &c." attract our notice, chiefly, as animated and popular harangues, the ftyle of which is fluent, and often elegant, but not unfrequently debased by grofs provincialifms. Novelty of matter the author difclaims, and theological controverfy he utterly explodes. For Dr. Hill, alfo, is for the prefervation of things as they are; that is on the other fide of the Tweed. In these difcourfes he has taken fedulous care not to transgrefs beyond the limits which he had prefcribed to himself. But in fo doing he has bound himself in fetters; fhrinking back from that lawful and proper fcope, which would have enabled him to difcufs with greater advantage the moral topics on which he has fixed, and fubmitting to that implicit faith which

muft ever prove an infurmountable bar to the progrefs of rational enquiry and ufeful knowledge.

Sir Adam Gordon's "Collection of Sermons, on feveral Subjects and Occafions, particularly on the Feftivals and Fafts of the Church of England," allords abundant evidence of the piety and good intentions of the author, and of his reverence for the institutions of that church of which he is a minister. Of their importance and excellence, as pulpit compofitions, we cannot fpeak in high terms; and on the policy or propriety of the author's wish to revive a religious attention to the numerous faints' days which crowd our calendar, but few of his readers will beftow their praise.

Mr. Draper's" Twenty Sermons on various Subjects, preached at All-hallows in the Wall," are recommended by great fimplicity and neatnefs of language, which muft have rendered them impreffive from the pulpit, and which cannot fail to pleafe in the clofet. And, what is more to their praise, the subjects on which they treat are all im portant and ufeful; they come home to men's bufinefs and bofoms.

Mr. Cappe's "Difcourfes on the Providence and Government of God," are judicious, energetic, and elegant compofitions. They contain a concife and methodical view of the arguments which may be adduced in fupport of the fundamental principles of natural and revealed religion, interspersed with animated devotional fentiments, and weighty practical obfervations. We warmly recommend the perufal of them to the rational believer, and to the fober fceptic.

Mr. Ireland, in his " Five Difcourfes, containing Arguments for and against the Reception of Chrifianity by the ancient Jews and

Greeks,

Greeks, preached at Croydon, in Surry," has evinced much ingenuity and originality of manner in his treatment of a fubject which has directly, or indirect ly, employed the pens of fome of the ableft defenders, of our rereligion. The contraft which he draws between the motives which led the Jews and Pagans, refpectively, to the rejection of Chriftianity, and the stronger motives which would have commanded their belief, had they not been influenced by preconceived erroneous opinions, and temporal confiderations, is judicious and ftriking, and merits the confideration of those who confider the queftion to be attended with much dirhculty: His illuftrative notes bear honourable teftimony to the author's erudition, and to the attention which he has bestowed upon his fubject. His ftyle, however, is too fcholaftic for a popular auditory.

the principles of the heathen philofophy compared with thofe of Revelation; the evidence of the Mofaic and Chriftian religion; the proof of revealed religion from prophecy; internal evidence of Jefus being no impoftor; and the moral influence of Chriftian principles. Ser

Dr. Priestley's "Difcourfes relating to the Evidences of revealed Religion, delivered in Philadelphia, 1796," were originally pub. lifhed in that city, and have been reprinted in the author's native country. They may be confidered as fupplemental to thofe which he delivered in England, juft before he quitted it, of which we gave an account in our Regifter for the year 1794; but interfere as little as poffible with the former. Of the author's able, candid, and diftinterested efforts to maintain the credit of divine revelation, to remove the doubts of the ferious enquirer, and to expofe the farcafms of the fneering fceptic, they afford ample and fatisfactory proof; and entitle him to the thanks of every believer. The fubjects of them are, the importance of religion; a view of the heathen worship; the excellence of the Molaic inftitutions;

Dr. Auchinclofs's three mons entitled "The Sophiftry of the ft. Part of Mr. Paine's Age of Reafon, or a rational Vindication of the Holy Scriptures as a positive Revelation from God, &t." have few pretenfions to praife as argumentative, liberal productións, or in point of compofition,

The Three Sermons infcribed to the Friends of Peace, Reason, and Revelation, by a Clergyman of the Church of England," abound in too much tinfel rhetoric, and extravagant rant, to please the ferious and judicious. In loyalty, according to the modern fenfe of the phrafe, the author is by no means deficient: but that quality outftrips his liberality and candour.

Mr. Fleet's "Four Sermons, on public Occafions," exclufive of the firft, which celebrates the memory of the founder of King's College, Cambridge are chiefly of a political complexion, and are intended to combat the popular principles refpecting the origin of fociety and government, which are rapidly fpreading throughout Europe. In this caufe our author is a fluent declaimer.

In our Regifter for the year 1791, we announced to our readers a volume of " Sermons by Robert Walker, Senior Minifter of Canongate, Edinburgh." Since that notice the author has published three additional volumes, which we have not feen, but which we are informed partake of fimilar merits,

in point of matter and compofition, with the preceding.

Among the few fingle fermons and epifcopal charges of the year which our limits will permit us to notice, is one "Preached before the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in the Abbey Church, Westminster, March 9, 1796," on the day appointed for a general faft, by William lord bishop of Exeter. One object of this difcourfe is to vindicate Chriftianity from the mifreprefentation of thofe who contend, that it is hoftile to civil liberty, and true political equality. Of the manner in which this part of his lordship's plan is executed, it would be unjust were we not to speak in terms of approbation. But the right rev. prelate is not fatisfied with fuftaining the character of an advocate; he muft become an aggreffor in his turn. In this character, French apoftacy, and French republicanifm, and thofe who oppofe the measures of government, and plead for reformation at home, are the fubjects of his fevere animadverfion. The introduction of fuch topics could tend only to excite the refentful and malignant paffions, and muft ill accord with the fentiments which ought to poffefs the mind on a day of national humiliation.

Dr. Holmes's "Sermon preached before the Honourable Houfe of Commons, at the Church of St. Margaret, Weftminster," on the fame day, as far as it is theological, contains an ingenious comment on the parable of the unfruitful fig-tree, and an orthodox application of it to the circumftantes of individuals and communities in the prefent age. But the author chofe that it fhould be political likewife; and has made ufe of fuch pointed and acrimonious expref

fions, in charging the legiflature of the French nation with atheism and libertinifm, as were highly unbecoming the occafion on which it was delivered.

The Sermon preached in the Weft Church, Aberdeen," on the fame day, by Dr. Brown, principal of Marifhal of Marithal College, inculcates truths and principles excellently adapted to the proper defign of the meeting. In a nervous, pleafing ftyle, the author delineates the natural effects of religion on the happinefs of nations as well as indi-" viduals; and very forcibly recommends the practice of what the hiftory of the world, and divine Revelation unite in affuring us, fhall be followed by the protection and favour of providence. We recommend it as a proper model for fatt day difcourfes.

"The Charge of Samuel Lord Bishop of Rochefter, to the Clergy of his Diocefe, delivered at his primary Vifitation, in the Year 1796," contains many gloomy forebodings of the evils, which, in his apprehenfion, threaten the church, in thefe perilous times, when the clergy "have to encounter a malignant averfion, of fome part of the people to every thing that carries the name of religion; arifing from that ferocious impatience of reftraint, and thofe mad notions of liberty, which the fiend of French democracy, the most wicked hateful fiend which providence has ever made the inftrument of its wrath upon guilty nations, hath within the laft fix years, fpread throughout Europe." Under thefe circumftances he wishes to prepare their minds for the worft; and inculcates the neceffity of their uniting in their characters the policy of the ferpent with the harmleffhefs of the dove. For this

purpose,

purpose, he ftrenuously recommends to them a circumfpect conduct; the diligent purfuit of learning and fcience, as the best fubftitutes for that infpiration which accompanied the first preachers of Chriftianity; the implicit refignation of their understandings to the authority of the written word; and an attention to the intereft of their order; which he accompanies with an explanation of the nature and provifions of the late Curate A&t. With this advice his lordship in termixes fome remarks on metaphyfical learning, natural religion, and the origin of all religion from Revelation, which numbers of his brethren of the clergy, equally orthodox with himself, will by no means fubfcribe; and lamentations over the destruction of the "auguft monarchy and venerable church eftablifliment" of France, which fome of the moft zealous advocates for the British conftitution, and our national church eftabliment, will be at a loss to reconcile with truly English and proteftant principles.

Of a very different complexion is "The Primary Charge of William Newcome, D. D. Archbishop of Armagh." This truly excellent publication is not employed in exciting or confirming party prejudices, or in propagating theological or political whims, but in calling the attention of the clergy to a very important and much neglected part of the paftoral care," that of" occafional and private inftruction." After premifing that it had been the intention of archbifhop Secker, to have committed his thoughts on this fubject to writing, that he might leave behind him fome admonitions concerning it, to be added to his inftructive

charges, our author, with great modefty, expreffes his with to fupply, "what the occupations and infirmities of that most eminent prelate did not permit him to us. dertake." This object he has purfued, by pointing out the qualincations for the duty which he recommends; the opportunities for private inftruction, which arife from the ordinary courfe of the clerical duty, and those which accidentally offer themfelves; and the manner of accommodating inftruction to different, defcriptions of perfons. On each of these topics the archbishop's charge is diftinguished by that good fenfe, knowledge of the world, and ardent zeal for the interefts of practical religion, which eminently qualified him for his high ftation in the Irish church. His ftyle and language, alfo, are admirably adapted to the fubject, and to the occafion. To his own hints doctor Newcome has added fome appofite palages from the pastoral care of bifhop Burnet, whom he pronounces “ an incomparable prelate; equally confpicuous for his knowledge, his labours, and his piety." Such characters are rare. Our readers, nevertheless, will not be at a lofs in determining, to whom in modern times they may, without flattery apply that concife and beauti ful eulogium.

To the fingle difcourfes already mentioned, published during the year 1796, we might add a number of others, on fubjects relative to the evidences of Chriftianity, or to contefted points of doctrine or difcipline, which are not unworthy of diftinct notice: but their infertion would occupy more room than we have to fpare.

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