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sities, aggravating antient prejudices, and rendering them invincible.

The great era of British liberty, the Revolution, marks the commencement of peace and prosperity to Ireland, after at least nine centuries of uninterrupted discord, confusion, and desolation. The way to happiness was then laid plainly open: but in so long a course of time, as hath passed since, what advances have been made towards it? Much less, than in reason might have been expected; even allowing to every obviating cause its full efficacy. Barbarism hath retreated with a slow pace: some remains of it at least still appear in the manners of the people, by its genuine marks, ferocity and indolence: outrageous acts of lawless violence, unheard of in any civilised country, are still frequently committed there; and hardly any other country bears on the face of it such plain indications of the bounty of God in imparting the gifts of nature, and of the sloth of man in neglecting to improve them.

POPERY, that more than Egyptian darkness, still covers the greater part of the land; a darkness, which may be sensibly felt in its pernicious effects and destructive consequences. It is the great obstacle, that stands in the way of every beneficial, every generous design: it counteracts every principle, that leads to loyalty and true piety, to industry and useful knowledge, to national strength, security, and happiness. It inspires its wretched votaries with a detestation of that government which protects them, because it is administered by those whom they call usurpers and heretics; and makes them ready to join the enemies of their country, because they call themselves Catholics; a name perverted in the application to the very contrary of its true meaning. The love of their country being thus extinguished in their breasts, one of the strongest incitements to the noblest exertions of the powers of body and mind is destroyed. Their understanding, subdued to the belief of gross falsehoods, and habituated to absurdities, is weakened and depraved; it becomes impervious to the light of truth, and callous to the force of argument. Intrenched in ignorance, and in a language of their own, little known to others, and difficult to be attained; inslaved to the peculiar customs and superstitions of their ancestors; fixed in an obstinate, adherence to hereditary errors, and a determined hatred of those, whose duty it is to remove them; awed by the AA a 2 terrors

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terrors of dreadful anathemas, and (in the case of converts at least) by the obligation of oaths*, binding them not to hearken to reason, or yield to conviction; they render themselves inaccessible to human instruction, and give up their claim to the direction of the word of GOD: Seeing they see not, neither do they perceive; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. The heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted and healed."

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

A Sermon preached at St. Asaph, at the Ordination of the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of St. Asaph, on Wednesday Sept. 21, 1803, by Hineage Horsley, A. M. Prebendary of St. Asaph, and late Student of Christ Church, Oxford. 4to. pp. 30.

TH

HE subject of this erudite discourse is the commission given by our Lord to his disciples of remitting and retaining sins; and it is treated with a strength and perspicuity, such as we should have expected from the son of Bishop Horsley. It has, indeed, what we may be justly permitted to term so much of the family likeness, that had it been published anonymously we should have been induced at once to ascribe it to his Lordship.

The power thus delegated to his Church by Christ himself has been often made the topic of controversy, chiefly, however, since the abuse that has been made of it by the Papacy. But it certainly is a most explicit commission, and if we are to believe that the apostolical office was intended to be successively continued till the end of all things, and that we must if we believe that the Christian Church will itself be so preserved, then there can be no doubt, but that this authority of remitting or retaining, binding or loosing will appertain to all who bear the priestly office. What is the nature of this

* Pontificale Rom. Ordo ad reconciliand. Apostatem, Schismaticum, vel Hæreticum.

power,

power, is a matter of consideration, about which different opinions have been entertained by very learned men. "The least that can possibly be understood by it is," saith Mr. Horsley," the power of declaring the pardon of sin to all that believe the Gospel, and are truly penitent." We may be permitted to add that this power is possessed by every Christian, and therefore, could not be within the meaning of our Lord when he conferred on . his disciples so remarkable an authority. "There can be as little doubt," it is next observed, "whether the ministers of Christ have not a peculiar right of petitioning for the pardon of those who make profession of a sincere repentance."

This "declaratory and petitionary absolution" seems to be as much as most modern protestants are willing to allow, and yet it is evident from the language of our Saviour, and the conduct of the Apostles, particularly St. Peter and St. Paul, that something more was intended. The primitive Church certainly did consider "the officers of Christ as possessing by virtue of this grant a title to the pronouncing that which approaches nearly to the judiciary. As they can authoritatively declare, that those who are qualified for pardon, according to the Evangelical Covenant, shall certainly meet with it, and as their prayers over the humble and penitent, are by divine appointment peculiarly effectual for obtaining remission; so when they make a particular enquiry into the state of the broken hearted, when they view their sorrows, and hear their vows, and find reason to be satisfied of the sincerity of both, they have it in commission from Christ, to administer comfort by speaking peace in his name; they can say to every such person upon his hearty confession, as Nathan said to David, "The Lord hath put away thy sin." Certainly such a power as this is very expressly contained in this promise of our Blessed Lord, whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them." Whensoever, a person thoroughly sensible of his sins, and weary of the burthen of them, comes unto the stewards of Christ's mysteries, they can by his authority committed unto them, dispense mercy according to the tenor of the Evangelical Covenant; they can as ambassadors for Christ, give the promise of peace, and comfort the penitent with the assurance of his transgressions being done away, and his sins forgiven."

This power, the persons to whom it is committed, the ends for which it was bestowed, and the regard which ought to be paid to it, are particularly and scripturally considered in the remainder of this truly excellent sermon, the perusal of which has afforded us uncommon satisfaction; and at the same time excited our regret, that a power so solemnly entrusted to the Ministers of Christ should be so little understood and regarded, even in the Church of England, where Erastianism has prevailed to the annihilation of Christian discipline. W.

The Restoration of Family Worship recommended, in two Discourses; selected with Alterations and Additions, from Dr. Doddridge's plain and serious Address to the Master of a Family. To which is prefixed, an Address to his Parishioners. By JOHN BREWSTER, M.A. 8vo. pp. 40.

HE name of Dr. Doddridge will ever be respected by all serious Christians, for his urbanity, cando, unaffected piety, and learning. His writings are admirably calculated to kindle lively sentiments of religion in the heart without giving it a bias to fanaticism or bigotry. Mr. Brewster has, therefore, in our opinion, done an acceptable service in forming lus "Serious Address upon the most important subject of Family Worship" into two discourses. On the merits of them it is unnecessary us to dwell: they should be read carefully by every per son who pretends to believe in the Christian religion, and in an especial manner, we recommend them to all who have families. The editor's own prefatory address to his parishioners is truly affectionate and persuasive. Of the advantages which would result from a due regard to family religion, Mr. Brewster well observes that

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We should not then see that lukewarm disposition which pervades too many breasts, that languid religion which hardly deserves the name; we should not behold numbers of families that are unacquainted with each other's faith, and indeed are frequently ignorant whether they profess any faith or not. The father would not be indifferent to the spiritual welfare of his son, or think talents are equivalent for virtue: the son would have to say, that he knew not what God, his father worshipped. The husband would not look for happiness under any other roof, than his owu; the wife would not expect

sweeter

sweeter affection than that which arises from the soft charities of domestic life. The master would have no cause to doubt the fidelity of his servant: nor the servant be seduced from the service of his God by the unsettled-I use no other word.-The unsettled principles of the master. The mother would not rest contented with the outward accomplishments of the daughter; and the daughter would above all things, seek the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit; would occupy her chief attempts iu acquiring habits of piety and true religion, which are in the sight of God of great price, the value of which is "more precious than rubies, and all that we can desire is not to be compared unto them." The young would be sober, modest, obedient, cautious, and condescending: the old would possess the experience of active life, tempered with that which alone renders age venerable, pious resignation springing from a fervent faith in all the precious promises of the Gospel."

A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Chester, at the Primary Visitation in the months of July and August, 1804, and published at their request. By HENRY WILLIAM, Lord Bishop of Chester. 4to. Rivingtons.

Tis well observed in the opening of this most judicious and seasonable discourse that,

"The discipline of the Church of England, in these periodical assemblies of her Ministers, was instituted for the wisest and most beneficial purposes, and is sanctioned by the most venerable authority. From the earliest period of the Christian revela→ tion, after our blessed Lord's ascension into Heaven, from the first establishment of churches, or religious communities of men, under the guidance of the Apostles themselves, or of those immediately commissioned and ordained by them, we read of the assiduity with which they who had either planted or watered the seed of the Gospel were used to congregate from distant provinces, and under the severest difficulties, to give an account of the success of their spiritual labours, and to confer on the best means of perfecting the work to an abundant harvest.*

* Of the first Ecclesiastical Assemblage of men, if it may not be deno minated a Council, we read in the fifteenth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, by which it sufficiently appears that, very shortly after Christ's Ascension, there prevailed in the Church some degree of internal polity.

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