The text is Joshua xxiv. 14. "Fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and truth." The proposed subject appears to be the influence of Christianity on the welfare of society, and especially of our own Establishment on the welfare of this kingdom. We would recommend Mr. Hordern to avoid long sentences: they are the besetting temptations of inexperienced writers. Like other seductive evil habits, it is easy enough to fall into them, but very difficult to get out of the entanglement. When not supported by a sufficient quantity of good sense, they have a shew of unmeaning affectation; and such an appearance, in all instances unfavourable, is most of all unsuited for a religious composition.

Christian Liberty: a Sermon preached in the Cathedral Church of Winchester, on Thursday, October 7, 1824, at the Annual Meeting of the Alien Society. By the Rev. J. O. ZILLWOOD, A. M. Chaplain to the County of Hants. 8vo. Pp. 24. 1s. 6d. London. Rivingtons. 1824.

GALATIANS V. 13. "Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.'

99

From these words the author proposes to explain, 1st. The nature of the liberty here spoken of, "Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty." 2d. The Apostle's caution against its abuse, "Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh." 3d. The particular duty resulting from it, implied in the coneluding words, "But by love serve one another." To illustrate the first point, the captivity of mankind under sin, and the freedom consequent upon our redemption, are most rapidly discussed. Some of the temptations to the abuse of this liberty, are, in the next place, exposed; and, in the third division, the particular objects of the charitable association, before whom the Sermon was preached, are detailed. One of its chief objects is the apprenticing of poor children. This leads to the following remark, which we quote with pleasure, as wholesome advice plainly and forcibly expressed-though we cannot in any degree approve of the introductory sentence. A minister of Christ takes no liberty in addressing a Christian congregation. It is high time that these forms of fashionable courtesy should be banished from our pulpits.

VOL. I. NO. II.

Оо

"

"As it is possible some masters may be now present, I would take the liberty of addressing a few words to them. The present conduct and improvement of your apprentices, as well as their future success in life, will depend in a great measure on you; and lest any erroneous notion should prevail as to the nature of the connection which subsists between you, I will remark, that the obligation on the master's part extends much farther than the mere teaching of the trade or art that he professes. The moral and religious habits of the apprentice should be carefully attended to; and these will be best promoted by strictly insisting on a rigid observance of regular hours, and punctual attendance on the house and worship of God. Hereby association with improper characters, and all its attendant mischiefs, will be greatly checked, if not effectually prevented. The neglect of these things argues at least an inexcusable remissness of duty, from which it is to be feared most serious evils to both parties often result; and which may one day call forth the awful rebuke, These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.'" P. 20.

A Sermon preached in the Church of St. Paul, Hammersmith, on Sunday, November 21, 1824, being the Day after the Interment of the late George Pring, Esq. of that Place. By the Rev. FRANCIS T. ATTWOOD, B.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge, Curate of Hammersmith. 8vo. Pp. 24. 1s. Smart.

ECCLES. vii. 2." It is better to go into the house of mourning than into the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to heart."

It has been said that the best of all sermons is a funeral itself; and it is so, because sight is stronger, not only than faith, but than the conviction which arises from the moral certainty of our own mortality. It is well therefore to take the opportunity of a congregation's being under the influence of this lively impression to direct it to a good purpose. Such seems to have been the object of Mr. Attwood. His Sermon is written in an unaffected style; and the remarks, though necessarily having no pretensions to novelty, are well arranged, and often forcibly expressed. The following passage may serve as an instance.

"I fear, therefore, that it is only upon great and trying occasions that the removal of their contemporaries makes any impression in general upon the minds of men. It is only when the exalted die that we are fully struck with the vanity of all things under the sun, that we become thoroughly convinced of the worthlessness of all human plea

sures, power, and pride. It is only when the young are hurried to the tomb, that we own with sincerity how fleeting is life's sojourn here. When the ingenious and learned lie down in the pit with the weak and illiterate, then we duly esteem the one knowledge needful; that we confess all other knowledge is useless to its possessor; that it is not, if separated from religion, in any wise desirable, because it cannot rescue from the hand of death, and because it must render him fearfully accountable at a future tribunal. And when death makes an inroad upon our own domestic circle, or when it carries off one with whom we were intimately connected in any way of our civil or social relations, then only is it that strong feelings are excited in our breasts, and then only perhaps is the mind effectually predisposed to listen to the voice of reason and revelation, to be weaned from things earthly, and to fix its affection on things above; to study with effect that Christian philosophy, which bears not the stamp of a scholastic or spurious philosophy, but which alone has the noble aim of ameliorating man's condition both in this world and the next." P. 9.

In dwelling on the character of the person deceased, the writer has inadvertently used, what, to say the least of it, is a most objectionable expression.

"Nor will his friends and equals only unite in offering this tribute to his merits; he has carried with him to the tomb the affections and regret of every individual, whether rich or poor. The affectionate tears of his poorer brethren will water his grave, and their intreaties will intercede for him on high." P. 14.

It is hoped that Mr. Attwood will see at once the danger of using vague and flowery language on a topic of such awful importance. He has in this instance not only sullied a composition, which is in other respects extremely creditable, but it may be, (and it will, we feel assured, vex him far more to think so) that the good he has designed in the whole, may be impaired and counterbalanced by the evil misunderstanding to which this one sentence may lead.

NOTICES.

The Liturgy, a Summary of Christianity: or the Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Religion illustrated by Quotations from, and References to the Liturgy of the Church of England, and confirmed by parallel Passages of Scripture. By the REV. T. CADOGAN WILLATS, M.A. Rector of East Halley, Cambridgeshire, and late Fellow of Downing College, Cambridge. 8vo. Pp. 48. 2s. 6d. Rivingtons. 1824.

THIS is a well-intentioned, and so far as it goes, a well-executed performance. But we are rather at a loss to conceive, for what class of persons it is particularly designed. Those whose sentiments accord with the author's, can hardly require it-they who dissent from him, will probably not be convinced by it. The former may consider it superfluous; the latter will deem it insufficient. Should, however, there be any members of our Church, who doubt whether our Liturgy be in strict conformity with the Scriptures; or not doubting it, still have not the proofs of it very clearly impressed upon their minds, this little Tract will certainly be very convenient for them, and will enable them, at any time," to give an answer to them who ask a reason of the hope that is in them."

To establish the conformity of the Liturgy to the Scriptures, nine points are selected and proved in the following order: viz." The Propensity of Man to Sin-The Goodness of God-The Divinity and Incarnation of Christ-The Redemption of Mankind-The Influence of the Holy SpiritRepentance-Faith-Good Works-A future Judgment and eternal Happiness, or Misery." This arrangement, though perfectly arbitrary, seems to us altogether unexceptionable. Under each of the above-mentioned heads, several passages are quoted from various parts of the Liturgy: and on the same page are cited, in juxta-position, corresponding sentences from the Old or New Testament. These in general are well chosen, and sufficiently show, that the compilers of the Liturgy were anxious to preserve, and have in fact preserved, not only the spirit, but as far as possible the letter also of the Scriptures in that admirable composition.

10

The Religious World displayed: or a brief View of Christianity, Judaism, Paganism, and Mohammedism, and of the various existing Denominations in the Christian World. To which is subjoined, a brief View of Materialism, Necessitarianism, Deism, and Atheism. By the REV. ROBERT ADAM, M.A. Chaplain to the Right Hon. the Earl of Kellie; late Minister of St. John's Church, Christianstadt; and Senior English Chaplain to the Island of St. Croix. Abridged from the large Work. 12mo. Pp. 540. 6s. Seeley. 1824.

THIS is a temperate and well written work, creditable to the author, and likely to become generally acceptable, in its present diminished form, to a numerous class of readers, who have neither time nor inclination to read the larger work of which it is an abridgment. After a short Introduction Mr. Adam, in the First Part (which is devoted to the Christian world, and occupies four-fifths of the whole,) takes a general sketch of Christianity; and then proceeds to consider it under two points of view-first, with regard to doctrinal distinctions, which portion again is subdivided with reference to the difference of opinion, " as to the object of Divine worship," " the extent of the blessings derived through the Gospel," and "Church-government:" and, secondly, with reference to the present aspect of the Christian world, which is also arranged under three heads, viz. the Greek and Oriental Churches, the Papists, and the Protestants. This is by far the best portion of the work, the remaining parts being less carefully executed.

Family Conversations on the Evidences and Discoveries of Revelation. By the Author of "Winter Evening Conversations on the Works of 12mo. Pp. 346. 3s. 6d. Edinburgh. Waugh and Innes.

1824.

AFTER an introductory Conversation, the remaining twentytwo colloquies are equally divided between the Evidences and the Doctrines. The whole displays talent in conveying important information in a compressed form; and the style is sufficiently lowered for the use of children-" from twelve to seventeen years of age." We do not vouch for the doctrinal matter.