When the hurricane of his zeal was a little abated, and the wind had fet in to a calmer point of the compafs, the Calviniftical Independents entertained the most fanguine hopes of eftablishing him amongst them as a found and regular brother. Hence he was ordained in form, and a wonder was expreffed in public-not, that many wife, not that many noble, were not called, but-that any were !

Our Mr. Thomas Reader was one of those who thought very highly of Sir Harry's gifts and graces, at the time when he declared, with a truly orthodox zeal and affurance from our Author's pulpit, that the Arians had ruined many once flourishing churches." But though Mr. Reader had caft a figure to determine the date of Antichrill's downfall, yet, he was not conjurer enough to foresee the apoftacy of Sir Harry Trelawny.

Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus!

However, Mr. Reader was foon waked out of the flumber of falfe confidence. The faints were fairly bit!-and fo they were allfaints and finners too-they were all bit! orthodoxy and herefy triumphed in their turns; and each, in turn, looked blank with chagrin and difappointment. Sir Harry's weather-cock is veering round, we are informed, to that quarter from whence its revolution first be gan. Whether (as Swift faid of the capricious coquette who finished her giddy rambles in fober matrimony) he will ruft to a point, and fixe at laft, is a matter we pretend not to be prophets enough to foretel, whatever Mr. Reader (on fecond thoughts) may be capable of deciding by the help of thofe fpectacles which no one but himself can look through.

As for the Letter before us, we think a few extracts fufficient to give our Readers a pretty juft idea of its merits:-and from them, too, a tolerably exact eftimate may be formed of the state and condition of the Writer's head and heart.

I beseech you, by all the unknown tenderness of IMMANUEL'S heart to finners, take care that these words may never be applicable to you, viz. who were of old forewritten to this condemnation (Jude 4.) for all God's words will be accomplished, in whatever book they are written.'-Thus Sir Harry is awfully warned to take care of what it is impoffible to avoid!

Again- I am unacquainted with your friend the Rev. Mr. Towgood, who, it is faid, firft led you into what is called the modern candour. That gentleman will, however, know, at the day of judgment, whether he befriended or injured the world, by the pains he took to modernize your ideas of eternal things.'....' The followers of Jefus ought, at leaft, to be certain, that the prefent affembly (viz. of the Diffenting ministers of Devon and Cornwall) is not a combination again the Godhead of Chrift, before they attend it again, for this is the doctrine, ftantis & cadentis Britanniæ,?

Once more It gave me yet more pain to hear that you had joined in the folemn work of ordination with Dr. Priestley, whose Appeal to profeffors of religion, &c. fhews him to be wholly unacquainted with the Gospel; and whofe fchemes of necefity and materialism feem to ftrike at the foundation of all religion.' ... Good God! when will this man ceafe to blafpheme Jefus and his Gofpel?

-The

-The church of God hath no good to expect from those minifters who can efteem Dr. Prieftley as a minifter of Chrift.'

The greatest part of this Letter is in the fame folemn ftrain of ex poftulation and denunciation. One black and heavy cloud fcowls over the whole.

Art. 32. Sermons on the most prevalent Vices, &c. By the Rev. David Lamont, Minifter of Kirkpatrick-Durham, near Dumfries. 8vo. 6s. bound. Crowder. 1780.

The fubjects of thefe fermons are important, useful, and seasonable. The Writer has not all that engaging and winning manner which renders fome productions of this kind peculiarly acceptable in thefe days of refinement, but the difcourfes are plain, ferious, and fenfible,

Befide two ordination fermons, and two on a future ftate, mentioned in the title-page, the others are on the fubjects which follow, and on each topic there are two difcourfes ;-Against evil speaking; the debauchery of the heart; revenge; idolatry; covetoufnefs; ly. ing; fwearing; drunkennefs; pride; the violation of the fabbath; -and a fynod fermon.

In the difcourfe againft lying, the Preacher defends the propofition, that there are cafes in which perfons have no right to truth, He fpeaks guardedly on the fubject, which is very prudent, affertion may be extended fo as to produce the most pernicious confequences.

men.

as the

In one of the ordination fermons, we have the following charac teristics of a good preacher: By a good preacher, I do not mean a man of noife and gefture, who preaches up himfelf and not his fubject, and goes to the pulpit, as many go to the church, to be seen of The action of the theatre, and the bombaft of romances, are unworthy of the pulpit, and difgrace its folemnity. But by a good preacher, I understand, a man, who, from his original good fenfe, improved by a good education, enters deep into the spirit of the facred text, fpeaks what he feels, and feels what is juft; who, in his lectures, is clear and copious; in his fermons, accurate and perfuafive; in both more attentive to fenfe than found, to dignity of fentiment than loftinefs of ftyle; who manages his difcourfes with fuch propriety, that in each there is as much fimplicity as will render it in. ftructive to the vulgar, and as much fublimity as will render it accept

able to the refined.'

This is rational; but that circumftance will not recommend thefe difcourfes to the bulk of the people in this country, who greatly prefer the noise and ranting of our modern Enthufiafts, Methodists, and Mystics.

Art. 33. Hymns to the Supreme Being: in Imitation of the Eattern Songs. 8vo. 3 s. 6 d. Boards. Nichols. 1780. The volume opens with a paraphrafe on the Lord's Prayer. We are next prefented with hymns of adoration, particularly arifing from a view of the Divine works and Providence; which fubject affords the Author an opportunity of adding a variety of mifcellaneous notes, chiefly relative to fome curious particulars in natural history. We have alfo Hymns of Thanksgiving and Gratitude,-of Penitence, and of Supplication for bleffings private and public. The expreffions

are

are generally thofe of Scripture, or fuch as are conformable to Scripture language, and the Eaftern style. The Author obferves, that fome of them were adapted to particular circumstances of his own life, and may, therefore, be little interefting to others; yet he thinks they may poffibly be useful when in a fituation any way fimilar.'

The tendency of these hymns (none of which are in verfe) is to elevate the mind to piety and virtue. In a devotional view, without doubt, they will be very acceptable to many Readers.

SERMON S.

I. Against Perfecution: Preached at Houghton-le-Spring, July 16, 1780. By John Rotheram, M. A. Rector of Houghton-le-Spring, Vicar of Seaham, and Chaplain to the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Durham. 8vo. 6d. Robfon, &c.

This good fermon appears to have been occafioned by the late riots in London, and other parts of the kingdom. Mr. R. paints, in lively colours, the horrid and impious nature of the fpirit of intolerance and perfecution; a spirit totally oppofite to the genius of true Christianity, to both the precepts and example of its divine Author; whose memorable reproof to his difciples-" Ye know not what manner of Spirit pe are of"-furnishes an excellent text for this difcourse.

II. Preached at the Parish Church of Greenwich in Kent, Feb. 4th, 1780, being the Day appointed for a General Fatt. By Edward Birkett, Clerk, Curate of the faid Parish. 4to. I S. Robinfon. This discourse confifts of fome pious reflections on Hezekiah's prayer to the Lord, when the army of Sennacherib, the Affyrian monarch, invefted the city of Jerufalem, and menaced its inhabitants with a terrible flaughter. The Author adverts alfo to their miraculous deliverance, and fpeaks of the advantage of prayer and dependence on Almighty power in the day of danger and diftrefs. Thefe reflections are applied to the prefent fituation of our country; and while the Preacher founds the alarm, he points to the best means for fecurity.

III. Preached before the Governors of the Devonshire Hofpital, at their Anniversary Meeting in 1780, at the Cathedral, Exeter. By John Marshall, A. M. Vicar of Widecombe, and Mafter of the Grammar-fchool in Exeter. 4to. I s. Printed for Thorn, Exon.

This difcourfe is on the fubject of Charity; a fubject so trite and common, that it is fcarcely in the power of genius itself to advance any thing new or original on it. The text is taken from the 37th verfe of the 10th chapter of Luke. The fubject is well illuftrated and enforced, and bespeaks the Author a man of fenfe and benevolence.

Mr. Marshall places the Pricft and the Levite in the most candid point of view, and endeavours to apologize for their conduct from the contracted principles of the Jewish economy. He thence very pertinently draws a conclufion in favour of the more enlarged and

unreftrictive

unrestrictive benevolence recommended by the amiable example of Chrift, and enforced by the motives of his difpenfation. In oppofi. tion to Lord Shaftesbury, he remarks, that private friend fhip is included in the more extenfive connections recommended by our Saviour; and in the conclufion very properly fpeaks of the excellence of that inftitution which it was the defign of the affembly he was addrefling to fupport and extend.

IV. Preached in the Parish Church of Whitby, July 2d, 1780, be-fore a Battalion of Volunteers, formed for the Defence of that Town and Neighbourhood. By the Rev. Jofeph Robertfon, Curate of the faid Church. 4to. 6d. Baldwin, &c.

Very properly adapted to the occafion, by a lively exhortation of the audience to exertions of valour, and exertions of virtue. V. The Wisdom of appointing and Supporting the Civil Magiftrate: at the Chapel-Royal, St. James's, June 25, 1780. By Robert Markham, D.D. Rector of St. Mary's Whitechapel, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majefty. 4to. I s. Rivington.

Few, if any, will difpute the neceffity and advantage of govern ment to the peace and welfare of fociety: nor will they generally deny the obligation of fubmitting to its just and reasonable orders. So far then Dr. Markham is well fupported: nor do we perceive that he pleads in favour of government any farther than as it tends to fecure the public peace and welfare, with that of every individual; the only end, as common fenfe will dictate, for which we can fuppose magif. trates, fupreme or fubordinate, to be appointed.

VI. Chriftian Zeal recommended and enforced-before the Contributors to the Salop Infirmary, at their anniverfary Meeting, in the Parish Church of St. Chad, Shrewsbury, September 14, 1780. By the Rev. Brian Hill, A. B. of Queen's College, Oxford; and Chaplain to the Earl of Leven. 8vo. 6 d. Robinson, &c.

The Preacher appears to be himself zealously affected, and recommends, with ardour, PIETY and GOOD WORKS. In one part of his difcourfe, he exhorts to a zeal in fupport of fome points of reputed orthodoxy, concerning which fenfible and pious Chriftians entertain very different ideas. Here he may poffibly err: but when he exhorts us, in a plain and fervent manner, to a diligent and conftant care, fo to act in the prefent life as to be ready to leave it with peace and hope, and when he urges a chearful contribution to the charitable inftitution in favour of which his difcourfe was delivered,there, we apprehend, he cannot be mistaken.

VII. Preached in the Cathedral at York, July 30, 1780, at the Affizes. By Nicholas Torre, M. A. Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. 4to. I S. Baldwin. 1780.

In this elegant harangue on juftice and judgment, the Preacher la ments the late alarming tumults, which, he fays, wore the mask of religion, yet concealed beneath it hypocrify and rebellion.' He affures us, that the Papal authority is now fo enfeebled, so disarmed of its terrors, that the extenfion of its influence is no longer to be dreaded.' Others are of opinion, that the principles of Popery have always the fame tendency to difquiet and opprefs mankind; and therefore, that while every provifion is to be made for the fafety and

I

comfort

comfort of individuals among the Papifts, it is wife and reafonable to do it under fome reftrictions. However this be, we never yet could admit the thought, that any zeal for religion really occafioned the horrid devaftations to which this difcourfe alludes.

VIII. The Duty of Patriotifm vindicated and enforced in the Cathedral Church of Ely. By Cæfar Morgan, M. A. Minor Canon, and Preacher in that Church, and late Fellow of Christ College, Cambridge. 4to. 1 S. Cadell, &c. 1780.

An ingenious and fenfible harangue, recommending an attention to the prefent diftrefs of our country, in fome, by retrenching expences, or by pecuniary aids, and in all perfons by repentance and amendment of life. As to pecuniary aids, it may, perhaps, be doubted, whether the people are not generally too little fatisfied about the vaft fums which have been already lavished, to be very forward in voluntary contributions.

IX. At St. Paul's, Covent-Garden, June 11, 1780. By James Howell, M. A. Student of Christ Church, Oxford. 4to. Robfon, &c.

糖

I S.

Offers very good advice, though in fomewhat of an odd and irregular manner. But, if the parithioners of Covent-Garden, or any other parishioners, will heartily follow the Preacher's admonitions, it will no doubt be productive of falutary effects.

IN

.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the EDITOR of the MONTHLY REVIEW. SIR,

N the very excellent criticism which is given, in your Work, upon Mr. Madan's Thelyphthora, fome notice is taken of that writer's appeal, in favour of his doctrine, to the authority of Bishop Burnet. But as your ingenious and learned Reviewer doth not feem to have been acquainted with the whole of the cafe in regard to the Bishop, perhaps you will indulge me, as a Correfpondent, in ftating the matter a little more parcicularly. Burnet's paper, which Mr. Madan has inferted in his treatife, was written on the following occafion. About the year 1670, or 1671, the Earl of Lauderdale difcovered to Dr. Burnet the fecret of the Duke of York's religion, and perceiving him to be exceedingly ftruck with the apprehenfions of the return of Popery into the kingdom, hinted to him a project of King Charles the Second's divorce, that, by his Majefty's marrying again, he might have an heir to the crown, and thus prevent his brother's fucceeding to it. Upon this the Doctor, who was then only twenty-feven years of age, and full of the civil law, which had been his firft ftudy, mentioned several paffages out of the Digefts, Code, and Novels, that fa→ voured the Earl's idea. His Lordship defired him to state the matter in writing, which he did; faying, at the fame time, that he fpoke of the fudden, but that when he went home among his books, he would examine the affair more clofely. Accordingly, in the winter following, he wrote to the Earl of Lauderdale, retracting the whole paper. Nor did he barely retract it, but anfwered and confuted the most ma