boldness of modern infidelity is then exposed; and from it a juft inference is drawn, for an increased vigilance and exertion in the defence of our common Zion."

The doctrine of the Trinity is next stated; and is maintained to be an object of faith only, and a teft of our obedience, refting folely on the authority of fcripture. The note at p. 21 is indeed a hazardous conjecture. The ordinary influence of the Holy Spirit is well vindicated; and the province and limits of reason, in the investigation of revealed truths, are stated and afcertained. In this difcourfe, there are many things. deferving of notice.

Sermon II. on the fame text, is an enquiry, whether any traces can be found of the Holy Ghoft, antecedent to the miniftry of Christ. These traces are discovered in the creation; in the voice of God, heard by Adam; as it was, in after ages, by Isaiah; whose words, when St. Paul quotes, he says, "well fpake the Holy Ghoft;"-in the voice by which Mofes was addreffed from the bufh; which was alfo heard on Mount Sinai, at the delivery of the law; by Elijah, on Mount Horeb ; and by Daniel, "between the banks of Ulai," The divine agency of the Holy Ghoft is then traced through the prophecies, vifions, and miracles, antecedent to the coming of Chrift,

In this difcourfe, and especially in the notes, there is an uncommon degree of prolixity. One thought fuggefts another, till the main argument is in danger of being forgotten.

Sermon III. on Luke iii. 22. and fermon iv. on I. Tim, iv, 1. fet forth the evidences of the Holy Ghoft's perfonality.

In these, and in the following difcourfes, the evidences (which are numerous) are ftated with a confiderable mixture of argument and difcuffion; and the arguments are generally diffufe. Inftead therefore of an abstract, which could not be given within a moderate compafs, we fhall produce fome extracts from them, illuftrative of the author's style and manner; concluding with a general character of the work.

But we must previously obferve, upon note p. 120, that great caution and judgment are requifite in felecting and producing the many charming things, by which the analogy of Scripture may be illuftrated.

"I pity the man, who feels himfelf uninterested in the profecution of an inquiry fo highly important, and can turn from it with a faftidioufnefs and difregard. What an infinite reproach is it, that men of the world shall never know what fatiety is, while engaged in the feveral vain objects of their affection; but the fmalleit application to divine things, is enough to cloy and ficken the appetite, and excite difguft! Go, ye careless profeffors of religion, whofe attention cannot be kept awake, either by the excellence of the facred subject, or the awful intereft, in which its confequence involves you go, and profecute

thofe

thofe delights, which better correfpond with the ardour of your incli nation: but he it the a bition of all real lovers of God, to imbibe a portion of the pfalmift's fpirit, and to form their principles by the ftandard of his piety. Oh! how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day. Min eyes prevent the night watches, that I might be occupied in thy word. How feet are thy words unto my tafte, yea faweeter than honey unto my mouth. The law of thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and filver." P. 164.

"It is hoped that the prefent difcourfe, which, from the nature of the fubject, cannot but be chiefly argumentative, will not howe er be altogether barren of Spiritual improvement. The author's defign would be miferably fruftrated indeed, if, while endeavouring to convince the feptic, his obfervations yielded no advantage to the believer. Sincere profeffors of the gofpel can hardly require information, that there is not a fingle character of the Bleffed Spirit, which may be reviewed in favour of his perfonality, but what furnishes at the fame time, fome more particular motive to awaken the exercifes of faith and piety. When, for example, the certainty of his perfon is inferred from that folemn view of his divine operations, in which he is defcribed as fearching all things, yea the deep things of God; mult it not trike every ferious mind who is convinced of this great truth, that if the deep things of God are open to the inveftigation of the Bleffed Spirit, how intimately acquainted muft he be with all the circumstances of human action? and is it poffible, that the believer, while recollecting whofe awful prefence and infpection he is continually under, can forget at the fame time, what a fanctity of character, the affurance of it is calculated to induce? Surrounded as we are, and encompaffed (if I may fo fpeak) with the immenfity of fuch a Being, unto whom all hearts are open, all defires known, and from whom no fecrets are hid: will not the prayer almoft involuntarily be excited in the breaft of the really pious, that the thoughts of the heart may be cleanfed by the infpiration of the Holy Spirit? Men of the world, from being abforbed in the different employments, which occupy the attention of the frivolous, and the vain; engaged either in the hurry and buftle of life, or loft amidst the pleasurable pursuits of it, will fuffer the Blessed Spirit to pafs by in all his operations both of providence and grace unnoti ced, and difregarded. But he, to whofe awakened and enlightened mind, the confcioufnefs of his perpetual agency is familiarized; who is accustomed to contemplate Him, in the tempeft, and in the storm, in the calm of life, and the fill fmall voice; fuch views of this great Being, will at all times call up fuitable affections, and he will need no monitor in man, to remind him, either of whose presence and infpection he is conftantly under, or of the correfponding train of dutics, which may be fuppofed to refult therefrom." P. 174.

Sermon V. on 2 Cor. iii. 17. and Sermon VI. on Rom. I. 20. contain the evidences of the Holy Ghoft's Deity.

Sermon VII. on Acts ii. 17. fets forth the traces of the Holy Ghoft's operations, fubfequent to our Saviour's ministry, Sermon VIII. on Acts xix. 2. continues the argument; and concludes the whole fubject in a practical way; pointing out

fome

fome of the more ftriking traces of the bleffed Spirit's miniftry, as they are manifested in the life of the true believer.

The following extract deferves attention:

"It would be almoft endless to enumerate the great variety of caufes, by which, the corruption and apoftacy of man is hidden from his fight. With fome, flight notions of fin fatisfy the mind, as if the moral turpitude of it was of little confequence, and human offences were for the moft part venial. Whilst others content themfelves with partial and unconcerned confeffions of unworthinefs, as though a merit confifted in the acknowledgment, and the heart might remain uninterefted. Another clafs, confidently prefuming, that the law is not fo ftrict as hath been reprefented, venture to conclude, that a general sincerity of character is all that is required, and that a good intention will fupply the place of a perfect obedience. And many more improving on this doctrine, have gone fo far as to fancy man in himself to be an amiable creature, full of benevolent affections, and that the great purpofe of his prefent existence is, for the discharge of focial duties: configning over therefore other obligations to fuch as find themfelves interefted in them, they fit down perfectly compofed and fatisfied, trufting that a general inoffenfiveness of behaviour towards their neighbour, will be fufficient to recommend them to the mercy of their God. And thus, with even the Scriptures in their hands, what multitudes are there, who live and die in the vanity of their minds, unacquainted with the real ftate of their fallen uature, and unconscious of any operation of grace in the foul: and go down to the grave, full of compla cency, having but little apprehenfions of their own unworthinefs, and but flight and fuperficial views of the neceffity of a Redeemer." P.383.

In fpeaking of true and false repentance, p. 397, &c. the author feems to confound repentance itfelf with the motives to it. The fear if punishment is not a part of repentance; but it is a very juft motive to it; and is therefore enforced in fcripture, by a variety of striking methods. The dread of fin (p. 401) is a part of repentance itself.

In the note, p. 403, we find fome things ftill more inaccurately stated. We do not indeed reckon faith, nor repentance, nor any thing that can be done by man, among the meritorious caufes, or the efficient means, of falvation; which is doubtlefs "the free gift of God, through the merits of Jefus Chrift ;" but we do fuppofe, that faith, and repentance, and a new life, (produced in us by God's grace, thankfully received, and faithfully used) are the conditional terms on the part of man for partaking of the mercies of redemption." They are our part of the new covenant, After all, perhaps this war of words may be thus concluded :-we are not faved by faith and repentance; neither are we faved without them. Thus much is agreed on. Give, then, what name to them you will; call them conditions, or (with the author) "effential duties, indifpen

fible duties, feals, teftimonies, and evidences of a spirit of grace, and a life of regeneration;" it is moft material for a plain Christian to believe and be affured, "that, without holinefs, no man fhall fee the Lord."

The conclufion of this discourse, and of the whole book, prefents many inftances of found and strong oratory.

At p. 248, the author has given a general account of his own work; which we are willing to adopt. "He writes more for the information of the uninformed, than to gratify the curiofity of the learned, or to add to the stock of hurnan knowledge." His book, however, if perufed with the fame pious and devout temper of mind with which it appears to have been written, will do what is more important; it will add to the stock of human virtue, and confequently of human hap¬ piness.

ART. VI. Poems, &c. by Baron Haller. Translated into English by Mr. Howarth. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Bell, Oxford

street. 1794

THESE are not all the poems of Haller, but are, neverthelefs, an acceptable prefent to the English reader. The verfion is very spirited and harmonious, as will appear from the following extract from the poem, on the defire of revifiting ones native country. There are, however, only four of the originals rendered in verfe, the reft being given in profe, an idle method more practifed by French than English tranfla

tors.

"Dear groves, where mountain zephyrs breathe,
Whofe foliage all of fhadowy brown,
Winding in many a tangled wreath,

The heights of Hafel graceful crown.

O when beneath your friendly fhade,
Shall I again those accents hear,
Which Philomel, of day afraid,
In twilight pours upon the ear.

There folitude calm leisure gives

And filence holds unbounded fway,
Save only when the trembling leaves
With the light zephyr gently play.
There too my artless verse I wove,

A heartfelt strain remember'd well,
For her who with the fighs of love
First taught my youthful breast to fwell.

On

On thefe fmooth banks, to fancy dear,
O let me once again repofe
And watch the infant flow'rets peer

Thro' the green carpet nature throws.
And let me breath once more the air,
Pregnate with Hafel's lavish greens;
Ye cultur'd fields, ye meadows fair,
My heart ftill lingers in your fcenes.
Still fondly does it hover round

Thofe green receffes, where Sol's ray
Has never pierc'd, whofe calm profound
Chafes remember'd griefs away."

The Doris has ever been admired as the most elegant of Haller's poems, and to this the tranflator has rendered justice; it is too long to infert, and much too beautiful to mutilate.

The following is a specimen of a different fpecies of compofition, an admirable and affecting ode of Haller on the loss of his wife one of the most celebrated compofitions in the German language, and certainly not celebrated without the most adequate reason,

"O that day, that blissful day which fhone upon our union! Recollection of the tranfports which fwelled my heart mingles a deceptive joy with my fadnefs: but oh, it adds bitterness to my regret: what blifs I once poffeffed! never, never shall I poffefs it more!

"How devoted, how generous was thy attachment to me! Thou didft efteem the fentiments of my heart, and forget all disadvantages of fortune. How unfailing was thy tenderness! When I grieved, thy fighs answered mine; and if pleasure fhone in my eyes, thy fweet expreffive fmile told me that my pleasures entered thy heart.

Thy wife and elevated mind could fupport the viciffitudes of fate, and foar above all frivolous defires; thy temper was delightful ferenity; thy attentions conftantly devoted to the education of our children; thy heart was full of fenfibility, yet free from weakness. Indifferent to that general homage which was ever paid to thy charms, thou didft only defire to be beautiful in my eyes. And thou wert beautiful in my eyes! all that could fatisfy, all that could charm, all that could chafe away grief, and give energy to pleasure, fuch was Marianne to the foul of her Haller. And thou wert wholly mine: those delights which exifted in thy looks, thy fociety, thy unfpeakable love, all, all were mine, folely, fingly, devoted to me. Oh, how immense was my poffeffion; how immense my lofs!

O Marianne, how I have loved thee-words can never tell how dearly. Doft not thou remember, that sometimes when I have folded thee in my arms, a prefentiment of future woe has checked my tranfports, and tears have mingled with our caresses?" Ah, if I should ever lofe thee...

That dreaded evil is already come! Time may exhaust my tears, but my grief will endure for ever: the heart may weep when the eyes ceafe