prophanenefs and licentioufnefs which often difgrace the clerical character. Thefe are certainly great evils, and call aloud for redrefs; and the complaint does not deferve the lefs attention, becaufe it is prefented with fome degree of petulance. E. List of THANKSGIVING SERMONS continued: See our laft. No. VIII. Preached at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, London, before his Majesty and both Houfes of Parliament, April 23, 1789, being the Day appointed for a General Thanksgiving. By Beilby, Lord Bishop of London. Published by his Majefty's Command, 4to. pp. 24. 1S. Rivingtons. When we confider the importance of the occafion, the grandeur of the audience, and the delicacy of the preacher's fituation (the King, to whofe character, and late very afflicting circumstances, he muft neceffarily allude, being prefent), we must allow that the Bishop bad a most difficult task. He, however, acquitted himself with perfect fuccefs. We do not recollect that we ever heard or perused a fermon with greater fatisfaction. The difcourfe (in brief) is judicious, pious,! rational, manly, and elegant. Can more be faid? IX. The Favour and Protection of God, an infinite Source of national Gratitude and Joy. Preached in the Chapel of Gofport, April 23, &c. By Richard Bingham, B. A. late Fellow of New College, Oxford. 8vo. 19. pp. 28. Rivingtons, &c. Mr. B.'s fentiments are juft, properly fuited to the occafion, and expreffed in eafy, flowing language; though fome grave readers may poffibly think the ftyle of the preacher rather too poetical. X. Preached in the Roman Catholic Chapel at Winchester,-on the Mr. Milner has, in this valuable difcourfe, given to the public, The preacher applies the doctrine of a particular Providence to the cafe of his Majefty's happy recovery; which, he obferves, was as instantaneous as was his illness;'- The interpofition of a parti cular Providence,' he adds, was univerfally felt and adored.'-The ་ Doctor's Doctor's inferences from thefe awful premises, are fuch as well become the pious Chriftian divine. XII. By Thomas Rofkilly, A. B. Vicar of Awlifcombe. 4to. pp. 10. I s. Robinsons. After a juft affertion, that national bleffings demand the tribute of national gratitude, the author proceeds to make fuch proper reflections as the occafion naturally fuggefts; concluding with fome practical inferences, and earnest exhortations to loyalty, and every grateful return which a happy nation owes to a mild and falutary government. The compofition is animated and correct. XIII. Causes for obferving the late memorable Event by a public and national Thanksgiving, &c. 8vo. pp. 32. I s. Payne, &c. We are not told where this anonymous fermon was preached, or whether it was preached at all. The following Address to the Public' is prefixed by the Editor:' The following difcourfe was partly compofed, and partly extracted from a volume of posthumous Sermons (but little known), by an unbeneficed clergyman of the Bishop of London's diocefe; who, with a wife and five children, and debts unavoidably contracted, to the amount of one hundred pounds, has no dependence whatever, befides two curacies, in an obfcure part of the country; the one thirty, the other of twenty-five pounds.-The editor hopes, that the above will be a fufficient apology for the publication of this fermon, on the prefent occafion.' Perhaps the fuppreffion of the author's name was fuggefted by prudence, on account of fome political fentiments which it contains particularly thofe where he infifts on the imminent danger in which the nation was on the point of being involved (had not his Majesty happily and feasonably recovered) in regard to the fettlement of a Regency a fubject, on which the author appears to be, decidedly, a minifterialist. XIV. Preached in Halifax Church-By the Rev. Mr. Pattenfon, Schoolmaster at Rushworth. 4to. is. pp. 16. Edwards. This difcourfe, like that which immediately precedes it, is partly political; and perhaps it was deemed not unufeful to give it much of that caft, as there feems, from fome expreffions in the fermon, to have been a kind of local propriety in the admonition which is strongly impreffed on its hearers, to avoid factious contentions, and little party divifions. For the rest, we do not commend this performance, as an elaborate or elegant compofition. XV. Preached in Commemoration of his Majesty's Restoration to Health. 8vo. pp. 17. rs. Dilly. Another anonymous production, the unknown author of which affigns his dread of cenfure,' as his motive for concealing his name. Perhaps there was little occafion for this caution, as the performance is by no means deftitute of merit,-though we do not praise it as a first-rate work of its kind. If it was written by a young minifter, he will probably improve in pulpit compofition. What denomination of hearers this difcourfe was calculated for, is not faid; but it feems formed on fcriptural and rational principles; and it turns on good and useful points, fuitable to the occasion. XVI. Preached before the Society of Proteftant Diffenters at Manffield, by Samuel Catlow. 8vo. pp. 19. 6d. Johnson, &c. After a brief introductory view of public exhibitions of gratitude to Divine Providence for national bleffings, in all countries, Mr. Catlow proceeds to confider the great and fignal occafion, which gave birth to his animated difcourfe, and on which depended the welfare of fo many millions of rational beings. Here he introduces much political difcuffion; and, among other points of information, which, perhaps, were peculiarly acceptable and inftructive, to his congregation, he gives a brief sketch of the principles of our admirable conftitution of civil government; whence he deduces the infinite confequence, and benefit to thefe nations, of his Majesty's providential recovery, by which the continuance of such inestimable bleffings was fo happily fecured to us.-The fermon is written in good language, and abounds with warm expreffions of the preacher's zeal for the prefervation of our civil and religious liberties, as well as of his firm attachment and loyalty to the best of fovereigns-the fteady affertor and protector of thofe liberties. I. [This Lift to be continued in our next. ] SINGLE SERMONS, on various Occafions. Occafioned by that Branch of the British Commerce which extends to the Human Species. Preached to a Congregation of Proteftant Diffenters in Hull, Jan. 21, 1789. By John Beatfon. 8vo. pp. 64. Is. Robinsons, &c. Written with unufual animation, great zeal, and strength of arguMr. Beatfon ment, against the fpecies of flavery here alluded to. warmly contends for a total extermination of the Negroe trade,— thinking, that feriously to deliberate on a plan for the regulation of injustice and oppreffion, feems wholly incompatible with every priaciple of honour and confcience. It is,' he adds, degrading to human nature, and fhews that the mind is warped from the ftandard of rectitude.' For the information of those who have not perused the most corfiderable of the late publications relative to the general state of the trade, the methods of procuring flaves, their treatment on board the fhips, at the place of fale, and in the plantations, extracts are given from the writings of Mefflrs. Clarkfon, Ramfay, Newton, Abbé Raynal, &c. The paffages are fuch as will naturally excite horror in the minds of humane and generous readers. II. Faith, Virtue, and Knowlege, the peculiar Duties of the ClergyPreached at the ordinary Vifitation of John Lord Bishop of Bangor, held at St. Peter's, Ruthin, Aug. 12th, 1788. By the Rev. 1s. Rivingtons. John Walters, M. A. 4to. pp. 23. A warm and well-written panegyric on the Eftablished Church; in which, however, are fome paffages relative to the Diffenters, that may, poffibly, excite a controverfy with them. Br.....w. III. On the Duty of Forgiveness, abridged from the late Rev. R. Needham, M. A. 2d Edition. 12mo. pp. 43. 4d. Johnfon. 1788. IV. IV. A Sermon against Lying. 12mo. pp. 27. Johnfon. 1788. The latter of thefe publications is a fhort and plain difcourfe, by the Rev. Mr. Charlesworth, published for the benefit of the poor, and is well adapted to anfwer the editor's benevolent defign. For Mr. Needham's fermon, fee Rev. vol. Ixxviii. p. 447. Bi V. The Gospel preached by the Apostles, and especially St. Paul: being a Difcourfe chiefly drawn from his Writings; proving, that this great Apoftle held, and taught, both particular and general Redemption and Salvation. Delivered at the Chapel in Glasshoufe Yard, Aug. 10, 1788. By Elhanan Winchester. 8vo. pp. 38. 6d. Marfom, &c. The text Galatians, i. 8. The Author tells us, page 11, that he pays no regard to human authority in matters of religion; that he is a difciple of Chrift alone; that both Calvinifts and Arminians are fometimes mistaken: that he draws his religious opinions from the fountain of truth, and thefe he publishes to the world. So far fo good. And if this publication tends to make profelytes to liberality of fentiment, the public will be benefited by it. Br....w. VI. On the Principle of Vitality in Man, as defcribed in the Holy Scriptures, and the Difference between true and apparent Death. Preached in the Parish Church of St. Andrew, Holborn, March 22, 1789, for the Benefit of the Humane Society, by Samuel Lord Bishop of St. David's. 4to. PP. 24. IS. Rivingtons, &c. The text Ecclefiaftes, xii. 7. The learned Bifhop has taken no fmall pains to prove that the vital principle may remain in a man for fome time after all figns of the vegetable life disappear in his body: that what have hitherto paffed, even among phyficians, for certain figns of a complete death, the rigid limb, the clay-cold fkin, the filent pulfe, the breathlefs lip, the livid cheek, the fallen jaw, the pinched noftril, the fixed ftaring eye, are uncertain and equivocal; infomuch, that a human body under all these appearances of death, is in many inftances capable of refufcitation. This, he tells us, however contrary to received opinions and current prejudices, is now abundantly confirmed by the fuccefs with which Providence hath bleffed the attempts of this Society for the space of 14 years: which he deems a convincing reason for the liberal fupport of this moft important inftitution. This ingenious difcourfe is well adapted to the audience before whom it was delivered, and which we hope will be the happy means of preferving many more from an untimely grave. Do VII. Preached before the Governors of the Magdalen Hofpital, London, on Wednesday, May 28, 1788. By the Rev. George Henry Glaffe, M. A. Rector of Hanwell, Middlefex, &c. Printed for the Hofpital 4to. 17 Pages. 1s. Robfon and Co. Mr. Glaffe is peculiarly happy in the choice of his text, Micah, vii. 8. and has fhewn good judgment and great fenfibility in treating a very delicate and affecting fubject. He has painted the unhappy female, and her brutish feducer, in juft and lively colours. His addrefs to the audience is manly and polite. The whole difcourfe does honour both to his head and to his heart. Do .VIII. Preached in the Chapel of the Afylum, on Sunday Morning, March 29, 1789, by the Rev. Septimus Hodfon, M. B. 8vo. Pp. 23. Is. Cadell. In an Addrefs to the Reader, Mr. Hodfon declares that he should not have published this very humble compofition,' if he had not been charged with plagiarifm; which charge appears to us to be falfe from this circumstance, viz. that if he had known it to be true, he would not have called on his accufers to have proved their accufation. The text is Proverbs, xxii. 6. from which paffage, Mr. H. confiders the duty of parents in three points of view, either as it is taught us by nature or as it has been conftituted by the customs of nations or commanded us by the revealed will of God.-His obfervations and reflections under each of thefe heads are pertinent and ingenious.-The phrase train up a child, &c. is confidered by him as implying, giving him an early religious education-under the influence of a pious and virtuous example. We recommend this fenfible and pathetic difcourfe, not only to parents, but to children, as worthy the serious attention of both. Br..... IX. The Rife, Progrefs, and Effects of Sunday Schools, confidered. Preached at Taunton, March 28, 1789. By Joshua Toulmin, M. A. 8vo. pp. 28. Johnson. The text on which this difcourfe is founded, is 1 Kings, xviii. 44. which Mr. T. illuftrates by the rife and progrefs of Christianity,--by the origin and increase of its corruptions,-by the hiftory of the Reformation, and by the commencement and progrefs of religion in the foul;-applying the whole to the fubject of Sunday schools, and expreffing his aftonishment at the magnitude to which this fcheme of difciplining and inftructing the children of the poor has arifen. Mr. Toulmin pleads, in the most forcible manner, for the support of this pious inftitution; and concludes his excellent fermon with a pathetic addrefs to the benefactors, the teachers, and the children. CORRESPONDENCE. A Young Reader' was charged at the Poft-office, although • poft paid' was written under the addrefs. This circumftance is menioned, as it may lead to a detection of an unfaithful fervant. For the reft, fuffice it to fay, that we have frequently declared our wish to put a stop to fuch troublesome inquiries; our time is too precious to be lavished on anonymous correfpondents, who can have no right to impofe fuch taxes on us. We have no leifure for the juvenile amusement of Questions and commands. ERRATA in our last Number, P. 385. 1. 21. for leading chapters,' r. the first three chapters. 418. Par. 2. line 1. dele in.' -471. Correfpondence 1+1, line 2. read, it will be reviewed. In the P. 483. 1. 24. In the reference for * put t. fent Number the note afte Mr. Fynney's name, 479. art. 16417. dee the double turned comme. |