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late who promotes, and promotes only, worth and merit. The preacher very properly places before his hearers the state of the country, which is, he says, such as to “summon every individual amongst us, to consider very earnestly how he is qualified and disposed both to make such efforts, and to suffer such privations, as the general safety, and his own particular office and station shall demand of him."

“Nothing,” Mr. Bouyer justly observes, “can be less consistent with what is required of us, than a presumptuous contempt of danger, or an indolent reliance on divine help, if we neglect the means of self-preservation and defence which God's bounty hath placed within our reach."

Mr. B. expresses himself with great caution in a note p. 10, on the subject of Sunday drills.

"Our governors," says he, "have wisely left every particular person to the guidance of his own principles. Whoever thinks it right to withdraw himself wholly from such military attendance on the Lord's day is left at liberty so to do, and will, no doubt, see the necessity of redoubled exertions at other times; upon which, as they rest on the best intentions and principles, there is every reason to trust that God will vouchsafe to send his blessing. But if, on the other hand, any of those who feel themselves warranted by necessity to lay hold of the encouragement extended to this practice, should abuse it to the purpose of irreligion and carelessness: still more, if the day, begun in unthinking levity, shall end in dissolute mirth, and wanton excess: let no necessity be pleaded for such conduct. But let all who are guilty of it, reflect in time on the dreadful consequences of such profanation. The observance of the Lord's day was the cornerstone to which the destroyers of religion on the continent first applied their axes and hammers, and the dissolution of the whole followed, and made of your threatening invaders those unrestrained and bloody monsters, which have been so often and so truly described to you, as to excite your utmost horror and disgust, If, therefore, you would not be like them in the END, beware---as you value your happiness here and hereafter---beware how you tamper with their BEGINNINGS!"

The whole discourse will be read with pleasure by every sincere lover of his country. Annexed to the sermon is an address by the lieutenant colonel to the volunteers, which is just in its sentiments, and animated in its composition.

A Discourse

A Discourse on the Duties which Britons owe, especially in the present eventful Crisis, to themselves, their King, and their Country: particularly addressed to the Castor, &c. Loyal Company of Volunteer Infantry, on their first Appearance at Castor Church in Military Uniform, on Sunday, 15th January, 1804. By the Rev. C. Hodg son, LL. B. one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the Liberty of Peterborough, in the County of Northampton. Svo. pp. 23.

THE

HE text of this sermon is very appropriate and animated for such an occasion; Nehemiah, iv. 20. "In what place ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us." The history of the Jews at that period is parallel in many striking respects to the present situation of our own coun try, and the energy and patriotism manifested by them are here well enforced as an example and encouragement to Britons. Much plain and good advice is given to the military part of the audience; but there is one very objectionable paragraph at page 15, which disgusted us exceedingly. Speaking of the mock mercy which the cruel enemy, if successful, might be disposed to shew us, it is observed, that "it would only be for the sake of afterwards diverting himself with the sight of our extreme wretchedness. Such a dreadful spectacle of national downfall would please the little unfeeling Corsican tyrant more than all the activity and merriment of SADLER'S WELLS!!" Whether this be wit, or not, we shall forbear to give an opinion; but we are certain that such language and allusions are wholly unbecoming the pulpit.

A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of Chadwell, in the County of Essex, on Sunday the 10th Day of June, 1804; before the Barstable and Chafford Volunteer Cavalry. By the Rev. W. Herringham, B. D. Rector of the Parish. 8vo. pp. 24.

THIS

HIS sermon is printed at the request and at the expence of the volunteer corps before whom it was de livered; and such a mark of respect to their pastor does them honour, as the composition itself does to his abili ties and piety. The text is extremely suitable, 2 Chron. xx, 15. Be not afraid nor dismayed, by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not your's, but God's."

The

The state of our country at this awful crisis, and the necessity incumbent upon every individual in it to contribute to its preservation, by personal service, by contributions, or by example, are forcibly represented. A long but well-adapted quotation from Mr. Bowles's preface to “A View of the Moral State of Society," is given in the body of the discourse.

The Case of Hezekiah considered, as a ground of Consola lation and a Motive to Union in Prayer, at the present alarming state of the King's Health, and of the British Empire: in a Sermon preached at Woburn Chapel, on Sunday, February 26, 1804. By the Rev. G. A.Thomas, LL. D. 8vo. pp. 21.

THE author of this well-written discourse discovers a

striking analogy between the case of the good Hezekiah, and that of our equally good and beloved sovereign, in his late alarming indiposition. Blessed be God! the analogy is still closer since the preaching and publishing of this sermon, and we trust that with the restoration of the king's health, there will not only be a considerable prolongation of his days, but a complete deliverance of the country, from the proud boastings and threats of the modern "Sennacherib."

The many striking instances of the visible interposition of Providence in preserving the sacred person of our sovereign, are well adduced as grounds of comfort in this awful season, and urged as powerful motives for earnest and reiterated addresses to the throne of grace.

To the sermon are subjoined in the form of an appendix some short, but very pertinent notes, illustrative of the disease of Hezekiah, the miracle of the retrograde motion of the Sun, and other points.

A Sermon preached in the Church of Louth, at the Anniversary Grand Provincial Meeting of Free and Accepted Masons, August 13, 1804. By the Rev. Thomas Orme, D. D. F.S.A. R. W. M. 510, and P. G. C. for the County of Lincoln. 8vo. pp. 19.

THE reverend author of this discourse shelters himself and his fraternity under the respectable sanction of the Anti-jacobin for March last, which says, that Vol. VII. Churchm. Mag. Sept. 1804. G g "a good

"a good mason can neither be a bad man nor a bad subject. The basis of masonry is religion, and without subordination it cannot subsist."

To the first assertion we can have no objection, be cause if a member of that or any other society be good, he cannot be bad; but to the latter we demur, for if religion were the basis of this boasted order, why is not religious and political character taken into the account, as a necessary qualification for admission into it? We happen to know that neither infidelity nor jacobinism would be sufficient to reject a candidate, nor will either be deemed a matter of such moment as to render a person unfit for masonic association. If any remark were to be made respecting persons of such a description, the brother who should advance it, would be deemed uncharitable, and be told, that "religion and politicks have nothing to do with masonry," which is as much as to say that it matters not whether a mason's religious or political principles be good or bad. In a moral point of view, we have much to say against this famed institution, which is now degenerated from its original establishment, though in numbers and influence it is vastly extended. There is not a lodge in this metropolis, and we fear the same may be asserted of those in the country, which is not distinguished by late hours and intemperance. Instead of religion being the basis, it is conviviality, and it is a vile prostitution of that sacred word to apply it in support of festive rites, and jolly meetings in taverns.

Even the ingenious author of this pathetic and well written discoure, finds it necessary to exhort his bre thren, "solicitously to avoid all intemperate indulgence, and all licentious discourse, when they relax from the cares of life, and give free course to the pleasing effusions of cheerfulness and good humour." This we cannot help taking as a pretty broad hint, that the persons addressed are somewhat apt to transgress in these respects, or else, why need such a caution, which implies at least a reflexion that these festive rites are not altogether pure?

We hope, however, that the exhortations of the preacher will have a good effect; and as the sermon inculcates sound principles and virtuous conduct, we shall be glad to see it universally circulated among the fra ternity to whom it is particularly addressed, and to aid whose charitable institution it is printed.

God

God glorified in his ministering Servants: A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of Chedder, in the County of Somerset, on Monday, October 17, 1803; at the Funeral of the Rev. Thomas Drewitt, A. M. Curate of the said Parish. By the Rev. T. T. Biddulph, A.M. Minister of St. James's, Bristol. 8vo. pp. 31.

MR.

R. BIDDULPH endeavours to disarm criticism by observing, in a short advertisement, that this discourse, which is a pretty long one," was drawn up through the pressure of business, within the short space of a single morning; and that its publication is the result of irresistible importunity." These sort of excuses for obtruding crude and flimsy productions upon the public, are very insulting to common sense. However hurried the preacher may have been in preparing his sermon, that is no reason why he should print it. If he has, himself, that very mean opinion of it as a composition which his excuse would imply, why be the dupe of irresistible importunity? Really these gentlemen carry the doctrine of irresistibility to a strange length.

The sermon itself is of the usual stamp of funeral orations; it is all panegyric. The deceased was, according to the eulogy of his friend," a taper calculated to give unusual light, not in his own parish only, but in a much larger sphere;" and "there must be an assemblage of rare qualities to make a Drewitt."

Mr. Biddulph labours, both in the sermon and in additional notes, to prove that his friend was firmly attached to the Church of England, yet he confesses that "the integrity of his character as a minister of the established church has been impeached; and (through the misrepresentation of ignorance, I trust) his principles and conduct have been traduced both privately and publicly."

We commend Mr. Biddulph for his friendly zeal; but we think he falls short as an advocate, when he rests the whole evidence in behalf of Mr. Drewitt, on his attachment to episcopacy, and his being " engaged at the time of his death in abridging the excellent work of Bishop Hall, on that subject.' Haweis, himself, and John Wesley, and many more that we could name, have preferred the episcopal form of Church government; but is this all that is necessary to prove a man to be a consistent member, or minister of the established Church? The

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