In difcourfing on zeal, in the fixteenth fermon, the author fhews, that a caufe which has not truth for its foundation, may have a zeal exerted in its behalf, which in itself shall be blameless; and that another, which has truth for its fupport, may have an improper zeal exercised on its fide; from whence he concludes, that zeal fimply confidered has no merit; that the cause alone can give a proper fanction and spirit to our zeal, and that our zeal fhould be moderated and fuited to the cause.

In this difcourfe the author introduces a poetical quotation from Dr. Young, for which he makes an apology. But poetry in a fermon is certainly a violation of propriety; and the fame reason which is alleged in vindication of thirteen lines, may bé alleged in defence of three hundred. If the found and brilliancy of the verse is the only thing which induces the preacher to adopt the language of the poet, he cannot be acquitted of impropriety and affectation. If the excellency of the thought is his motive, he ought to confider, that every fentiment, which the human mind is capable of conceiving, may be expreffed with fufficient energy in profe; and that the facred orafor defcends below his dignity, and makes a fantastical appearance, when he condefcends to trifle with the mufes, and flourish in metre, while he ought to be delivering, with the utmost sʊlemnity, the awful doctrines of Jefus Chrift.

Our Lord's rebuke of his difciples James and John, for their unjustifiable zeal, is the subject of the seventeenth fermon; and the subject of the last is an enquiry after wisdom.

'Where, fays he, fhall a man of wisdom be found?

I. Not in the cell of the vifionary and reclufe-Not that religion flies retirement--No!-here all its divine confolation's are found, and its beft comforts relifhed-Nor does it difdain the world, as if it were not made for enjoyment-Let others feclude themselves from the world, and dream over all its joys,' till they fancy all is delufion and unfubftantial appearance of good, and reject the various favours of heaven with a fullen disdain, and counterfeit fuperiority; the fon of wisdom takes his portion of bleffing with a joyful heart, and an easy gratitude: he does not caft fuch a reflection upon the defign of his benevolent Creator, as to fuppofe fnares to his virtue are concealed in every bleffing; or that this world will infallibly prevent him from practising those virtues, that will fit him for the enjoyments of the future ftate-How can religion, that delights to take up its abode in the expanded breast of benevolence,' find room for its reception in the contracted bofom of self-love? What! are we to live for, and to ourselves alone? Are the facred ties of humanity nothing?-Have our fellow-creatures no claim upon our example, no demand upon cur virtues ?-It is

the

the part of cowardice to retire intirely from the world, for fear our virtue should be overcome-Virtue is not virtue, unless it be tried-It is only the infubftantial fhadow of it, that is found within the walls of convents and religious houfes, as they are falfely called-bring forth virtue and religion to the light-they will bear the penetrating beam of heaven itself-they fear no dif covery, for none can be made to their disadvantage.

Go thou pufillanimous wretch! hide thy dejected head in fome gloomy fequeftered cell, and fay the world is too broad a theatre, that the spectators are too numerous before whom thou art, by the appointment of heaven, to perform thy allotted part-fay that it is ornamented with fuch pleasing scenes that virtue cannot refift its folicitations-keep all thy folitary virtues, if fuch there be, to thyfelf-deny mankind all thine aidpanish thy body, inftead of fubduing the irregular affections of thy foul; and fee if all this will fit thee for the affembly of faints, the company of angels, the focial joys and friendship of happy spirits, who unite in these folemn religious employments in heaven.-Let us quit the cell of the vifionary and recluse, fince here the man of wisdom is not to be found. And,

6

II. Seek for him abroad in the world.

Perhaps we shall scarcely find him, where his example would be of the most sovereign advantage; I mean in the courts of princes, and palaces of kings.-Religion has feldom found an hearty welcome, or kind reception here. Where is its introducer humility?—Where its attendants innocence and fimplicity? -All here is pageantry and fhew.-Men are taken up with ambitious views; and their minds are distracted by emulation and pride. The bafeft defigns, the most contemptible hypocrify, poffefs their hearts, and cover over the most fraudulent intentions. This world is all that is earnestly defired, and therefore it is pursued at the expence of innocence, fidelity, honour, and integrity.-Men here engage in those vain amuseinents that unfit them for any exalted virtue.-Men who live upon the finiles of princes, have but little ambition to deferve the approbation of God.-Let us not feek for divine wifdom, where vice and folly range it at large, and in an air infectious to virtue, probity, and honour.-Shall we, like Solomon,

III. Go in queft of happiness refulting from religion, among the licentious and the gay?-Fruitless here will be our re fearch.-Afk you for this wisdom, they hardly know its name— they will either attempt to smile you into contempt, or religion into difcredit-How fhall ferious thought and impartial recol lection be found, where all is diffipation ?-Will you feek for the refined fatisfactions of the foul, where the groffer pleasures of the body employ all the attention ?-This mad career of

folly,

folly, wifdom's cautious feet will never tread-she is too wife to truft all to one dreadful hazard, or to rifque future happiness for prefent enjoyment. Ye bold adventurers for pleasure, tread again and again the circle of fenfual delight-you will return to the fame point from which you at first set out-at length fatigued, you will remit your ardent toil, and when you cannot overtake happinefs, difappointment and remorfe will have overtaken you. But the fon of wisdom shall walk furely, becaufe he walkerb uprightly-far from thefe paths, his feet fhall be found, for he fhall be directed by wifdom herself, whofe paths alone are paths of pleasantness and peace."

The author goes on to fhew that the man of wisdom was never yet found amidst those solicitudes, cares, and anxieties, that attend the undue attachment to the riches of the world; the immediate tendency of which is, to make the mind fordid and bafe; to shut up the tender bowels of humanity and compaffion; to render us careless of what others may feel, and ungrateful to heaven, to which we are indebted for all we enjoy. He concludes with fhewing where the man of wisdom is to be found. Retire, fays he, a little from the world.

-You must do this, the more probably to meet with the man who is at full liberty to prepare himself for the vifitation of wisdom. You will find him perhaps in fome happy abode, where the courtier, the licentious, and the gay, would pity a fellow mortal fecluded from pleasure and worldly honour; but where, amidst temptations fufficient to try and ftamp his virtue with merit, this son of wisdom enjoys the ineftimable treasure of a good confcience, resulting from the faithful discharge of duty towards God and man.-He moves, 'tis true, in a finall fphere, but he enlightens all around him. Others he fees made better by his example; and his virtues diffuse their happy influences among those who are bleffed in his acquaintance. His heart is uncorrupted by the pleasures of the world-he has preferved his innocence, though he has not been altogether remote from temptation-he does not purfue this world with fuch an avidity, as ever breaks in upon his attention to the next-his foul is not curfed with the defire of riches-his wants are made few by temperance, and he is grateful, because he properly enjoys the favours of heaven-he treads the path of life ferene and compofed; unanxious of any evil but what might arife from his own faults-he looks upon all other misfortunes, as opportunities afforded by heaven to make him perfect in every good word, and work. This is the fon of wisdom, and his refidence the place of understanding.-Let us pray for his portion, and imitate his virtues.'

Though

Though this writer has not, in many inftances, quitted the track which others have purfued before him, yet he has enlivened his difcourfes by many fprightly fentiments, and a florid ftile.

III. Fourteen Sermons preached on feveral Occafions. By Thomas Secker, LL.D. now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. 8vo. Pr. 5s. Rivington.

THE reputation which this excellent prelate has acquired as a preacher, renders it unneceffary for us to fay any thing in his praife. We fhall only observe in general, that he has the art of giving his difcourfes an air of popularity, by addreffing his audience in an eafy familiar manner, and at the fame time préferving that dignity and importance which the character of a Chriftian, preacher requires.

In the firft difcourfe he reprefents, by clear and indifputable. arguments, the advantages which arife from the inftruction of youth in religion, virtue, and knowledge; and then particularly fhews, That all perfons concerned, fhould endeavour, with united care,, in their feveral stations, that these advantages may be effectually obtained, especially in places dedicated to that. purpose,

The fecond was preached on the 30th of January, and con-. tains several juft and pertinent obfervations, of a moràl and religious nature, deduced from well known and undoubted facts, the errors and sufferings of our forefathers in the laft century.

"

In the third, which was preached the Sunday after the death of her Majesty the late queen Caroline, the author takes occasion to point out those useful lessons which we ought to learn from examples of mortality.

The fourth is a charity fermon preached at St. Brides, on Monday in Eafter week 1738. The fifth was preached before the House of Lords, on the 29th of May 1739. The fixth before the incorporated Society for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts. In this difcourfe he briefly reprefents the Itate of our colonies with refpect to religion; thews the advantages arising from the propagation of Chriftianity in general, and the ufe of our authorized teachers in particular; and then proceeds to answer the objections which have been alledged against the plan or the conduct of the fociety.

The defign of the feventh difcourfe is to answer and obviate the objections which have been ufually made against charity Lhools.

The eighth was preached foon after the earthquake in 1749, and is very properly calculated to make a due impreffion on a popular congregation.

The ninth was preached in the parish church of St. James, Westminster, in 1750, on refigning the rectory. The first part is an address to the parishioners on parochial affairs; the latter on religion.

In the tenth, which was preached before the governors of the London Hospital, the author enlarges on three points necessary in these charitable inftitutions, viz. a due provifion, a vigilant fuperintendence, and a willing execution.

The eleventh was preached at the yearly meeting of the religious focieties, and the purport of it is to fhew, That ferious conference amongft good perfons is peculiarly needful in thoughtless and irreligious times; and that God obferves and remembers, and will reward the proper use of it.' He then proceeds to apply what has been faid to the occafion of the meeting.

The twelfth was preached before the Society for promoting Proteftant schools in Ireland, and contains a particular account of the nature and utility of those establishments.

In the thirteenth, which was preached at Lambeth, Nov. 5, 1758, his Grace gives a tranfient view of the rife and progress of Popish ufurpation, treachery, and cruelty; and recites fome of the dreadful evils which religious intolerance hath attempted and committed in these kingdoms.

The last in this collection was preached on the anniversary of the King's acceffion, Oct. 25, 1761.

In all these discourses the Archbishop fpeaks fully and particularly to the point in hand, reafons with candor and moderation, and fuggefts every religious confideration which moft naturally arifes from the fubject. Sermon I. IV. V. VI. VII. X. and XII. were published foon after they were preached, the rest are now first printed.

IV. Pharmacopoeia Medici Auctore Joanne Berkenhout, M. D. 8vo. Pr. 2s. 6d. Becket.

H

OWEVER improved the present fyftem of medical practice may be, and however learned its practitioners, we may yet venture to affert, that it still remains defective in the branch which the performance before us is intended to explain. This branch is pharmacy directed by philofophical chymistry. As the combination of fimple bodies, and the various compounds refulting from fuch combinations, depend entirely on

the