fome judgment of thefe volumes, which are profeffedly defigned for thofe of the middling clafs, who think not of elegance, or depth of fentiment, or correctness of compofition, but are fatisfied if they understand and are edified.

Art. 61. Sacred Hiftory, felected from the Scriptures, &c. Second Edition. By Mrs. Trimmer. 12mo. 6 Vols. 11. IS. Boards. Longman, &c. 1788.

For our opinion of the first edition of this valuable work, fee Rev. vol. lxviii. et feq. This fecond, and much improved, edition, with refpect to fome of the volumes, being almoft a new work, we shall lay before our readers the Author's account of it, in her own words: The flattering attention which was bestowed on my labours, by perfons of maturer age, as the volumes were fucceffively produced, encouraged me to expatiate more largely on the doctrinal parts of the New Testament, than at first I intended to do, when I had a view to the improvement of young perfons only; and having had the pleasure to find that the two laft volumes were honoured with particular approbation, I thought it advifable, in this new edition, to have the Old Testament printed in a type fomething smaller than before that I might have room for additional matter, without increafing the number of volumes. Confcious that there was not in the first edition an uniformity of ftyle throughout the fix volumes, I have here endeavoured to correct that defect by writing new annotations to the greater part of the first volume; the fourth alfo will be found confiderably altered and enlarged. I hope this work is now free from material errors and omiffions; for I have purfued the arduous pleafing task, with the moft fervent defire of doing all poffible justice to the important fubject; and I prefent it to the public, in a full affurance that it will meet with the fame kind indulgence as my former productions.'

Having carefully compared the two editions, we must do Mrs. Trimmer the juftice to acknowlege that the appears to have fpared no trouble to render this publication peculiarly deferving of the public attention.

Art. 62. Four felet Evangelical Difcourfes of Mr. George Nicholfon. 8vo. 1 S. Parfons. 1788.

From the above title we must conclude that Mr. George Nicholson is well known in the world; though we do not particularly recollect him. The great end propofed by all perfons who are fincere in performances of this kind, is, to advance the intereft and prevalence of virtue, and true religion. They may purfue this purpofe by fome different means; but all the variety of means and notions are infignificant, and ufelefs, unless they tend to this; and this is the object to which the prefent difcourfes are practically directed. Though not of a Calvinistic, they are yet of a methodilic caft; but avowedly oppofed to the doctrines of unconditional election and predeftination. The ftyle is declamatory; and though not incorrect, is more fuited to extempore effufions than a well-ftudied difcourfe; the Author fre quently introducing fuch fingular words as fupernal, immarcefible, and effectuation; which have rather an affected appearance.

SERMONS,

SERMONS, &c. in Commemoration of the REVOLUTION,

in 1688.

I. Preached at the Old Jewry, Nov. 4, 1788, before the Society for commemorating the glorious Revolution; being the Completion of an Hundred Years fince that great Event. By Andrew Kippis, D. D. F. R. S. and S. A. 8vo. I s. Robinfons.

Dr. Kippis has very properly remarked, that

It is the natural effect of a long courfe of time, to weaken, and almoft to obliterate, the impreffions which remarkable tranfactions, and providential interpofitions, at first make upon us, and which it is defirable to be for ever retained. To preferve, therefore, the continuance of thefe impreffions, to renew, to ftrengthen, to confirm them, it is the dictate of wisdom and virtue to lay hold of the feafons and circumstances which are favourable to purposes fo falutary and ufeful! Such an opportunity is prefented to us this day.'

The Revolution, he obferves, was a moft happy event to Great Britain; 1ft, As it delivered us from the two greatest calamities under which any nation can groan-popery and tyranny: 2dly, As this deliverance was effected without the risk or flaughter of a fingle battle in England: in Scotland, by one fmall engagement; and in Ireland, though the fubfequent commotions had, at first, an alarming and dangerous afpect, yet they were foon concluded with victory and honour. 3dly, The Revolution will appear to have been a most important event, if we confider that it fixed the privileges of the fubject, and the free form of the conftitution, on a more firm and 'extenfive foundation than they had ever flood upon before. Here the Doctor has expreffed himself in terms fo agreeable to our fentiments, that we fhall gratify ourselves, and, we truft, our readers too, with his enlargement under this head. He proceeds:

Some ingenious men have afferted that, in preceding ages, the frame of our government was entirely arbitrary; that we had no pretenfions to liberty, till a little before the period of the civil wars ; and that the fettlement in 1688 was not folely the etablishment and augmentation, but the proper æra and commencement, of English freedom. This is feemingly a high compliment to the Revolution. But I accept not of a compliment which is delivered at the expence of truth, and which, perhaps, has rather proceeded from a delire to exculpate the Stuarts than from affection to the memory of William III. After having read the history of my country with attention, and, I truft, without much prejudice, I cannot but agree with those writers who have maintained, that our government, though imperfect, though in fome respects indigefted, and not accurately and fully defined, was, nevertheless, in its effential conftitution, originally free.

The Doctor fuccefs fully attempts to prove this position by indifputable facts. Other inestimable advantages arofe from the Revolu tion particularly, the more certain fecurity of our properties and perfons. It was likewife highly favourable to our religious as well as our civil government; for, at that period, Dr. Kippis obferves, it was enacted, That no one who is a Papift, or who marries a Papist, fhall inherit the crown. Then allo, toleration firft received a legal

fan&tion;

fanction; and an end was put to the reftraints, fines, imprisonments, and cruelties, which, for a series of years, had been inflicted on the Proteftant Diffenters. And it is no fmall honour, he adds, to the reign of George III. that it hath placed the toleration of the Proteftant Diffenters on a foundation far more enlarged than that on which it formerly fubfifted; and that it hath relaxed the feverity of the ftatutes against the Papifts.-The Doctor enumerates many other advantages refulting from this glorious Revolution; among the principal of which stands the Act of Settlement, which, fays he, hath bestowed Princes upon us of amiable and worthy characters; under whom there hath been a fucceffion of every bleffing which can render human fociety and human life defirable.'

In the practical improvement of this pleafing fubject, the worthy preacher difmifies his audience with the following animated perora

tion:

Permit me to urge it on parents, guardians, or tutors, to furnish the minds of the young perfons who are under their direction and influence, with proper fentiments of things. To infpire their breafts with an early regard for the Proteftant religion, the rights of confcience, and the facred interefts of political and civil liberty. Set in order before them the numerous interpofitions of Providence in our favour. Warm them with a veneration for the memory of King William III. with an attachment to the Hanover fucceffion, and with affection to the mild Princes of the Brunfwic line. In fhort, let it be the object of your fervent folicitude, that the caufe of liberal enquiry, of univerfal toleration, and of public and private freedom, may live and flourish, when yourselves are laid in the filent grave. This is a duty which is demanded of us by the regard we have to our own honour, the happinefs of our children, the welfare of pofterity, and the profperity and glory of our country. Yes, our country calls upon us never to forget fo indifpenfable an obligation. "The God "of nature," the fays, "hath feparated me from the world, hath girt "me with the fea, and hath held me out a great example of his "goodness; he hath beftowed upon me natural advantages of the highest importance. He hath given me the nobleft model of government; has refcued it from repeated perils; and, from age to age, has added to its improvement. At length, he has appeared "for me in a Revolution which is unparalleled in its manner and its "effects: he hath made me the feat of genius, of science, of learning, of commerce, of law, of liberty, of religion; and will you, "my fons, fuffer fuch inestimable benefits to be wrefted from you? "Will you not pioufly tranfmit them to your defcendants ?" Our anfwer is, "We will never fuffer fuch ineftimable benefits to be "wrefted from us; we will piously tranfmit them to our defcendants.

British liberty, by the bleffing of the Supreme Ruler upon our en"deavours, fhall be coeval with the globe, and only ceafe at its "final diffolution." Amen.'

II. Preached at the Scots Church, London Wall, Nov. 4, 1788, in Commemoration of the glorious Revolution in 1688. By Henry Hunter, D. D. 8vo. 1s. Murray.

A very fenfible and animated difcourfe. The fentiments which it breathes are juft, and the language is elegant; though fome may.. perhaps,

13

perhaps, deem it rather too florid. The text is from Pfalm xcvii. 1, 2. For the benefit of those who have not an opportunity of confulting hiftory, and to render the perufal of his performance as profitable as it can be, the author thought himself obliged to subjoin a few facts and documents relative to certain points advanced in the fermon; which may convey information, and awaken gratitude, or fuggeft a conduct fuitable to the occafion. After having given us, in one of the notes, the character of the two brothers, Charles and James, as drawn by Lord Bolingbroke in a letter to Sir W. Wyndham, the Doctor makes this judicious remark:

⚫ Whoever is defirous of having full fatisfaction refpecting the expediency, and indeed the neceffity, of the Revolution, and the Hanover fucceffion, let him carefully perufe the whole of this very ele gant performance. It is the teftimony of an adverfary, and therefore may be trufted. Lord Bolingbroke is well known to have been but a cold friend to the Revolution, and to have done all he could to defeat the fucceffion; and yet this letter, the primary object of which is a vindication of his own conduct to his Jacobite friends, is perhaps the best defence of both that ever was made.'

We shall conclude with the handsome compliment which the Doctor pays to the Hanover family.

To give full effect to the bleffed change which had taken place, and to render the enjoyment of liberty complete, it became neceffary to provide a fecurity against future political evils of the fame nature with that which had been applied as a remedy to the paft. The fecurity propofed and established, was a law, which entirely, and for ever, excluded from all hope to the fucceffion of the crown, the Popish pofterity of the exiled fovereign, and fettled it on the Proteftant family of Hanover, whofe religion being that of the nation, promifed the continuance of this ineftimable bleffing; and whofe character for valour, wifdom, virtue, and moderation, infpired the hope of that public felicity, and national greatness, which long experience has happily realized.'

III. Preached at Norwich, Nov. 5, 1788. By William Enfield, 4to. 1s. Johnfon.

LL. D.

- Dr. Enfield has chofen for his text, thefe words, "Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty," Gal. v. 13. Having enumerated the bleffings derived to us from the Revolution, he exhorts his hearers to enjoy them with gratitude.

As members of a free ftate (fays he) you should confider yourfelves as partners with your fellow-citizens in the common stock of liberty; and as fureties to pofterity, that this precious treasure shall be tranfmitted to their hands undiminished, and, if poffible, enlarged. It is unquestionably the duty of Britons to guard with a watchful eye, the structure which it has been the long labour of ages to rear, that it may neither be demolished by open force, nor undermined by fecret treachery. Such is the felicity of the prefent times, that we are in little danger of being called to any hazardous exertions in defence of our liberties. The mad defign of restoring Popery and Defpotifm, by reviving claims which the law has long fince annihilated, after two unfuccessful rebellions, will certainly never be refumed. The prefent internal state of the nation encourages a con

fident expectation of the long continuance of domestic tranquillity. In this fituation of public affairs, our firft duty, as fubjects of a free government, is to yield a peaceful and ready fubmifhon to lawful authority. While the Regal power is conftitutionally and judiciously exercifed, loyalty to the reigning Prince is not only a tribute of juftice and gratitude to official merit, but a debt, which every Briton owes to his country: for it is to this effential part of the conftitution that we are indebted, for the dignity, energy, and ftability of magiftracy, and for our fecurity from thofe diforders and calamities to which republican governments and elective monarchies are liable. At the fame time, then, that you faithfully employ that portion of political power which you poffefs, in the election of worthy reprefentatives, and heartily concur in every judicious defign for the defence, or the farther extenfion of your liberties, civil or religious, neglect not to honour the King, to obey the laws, and to lead peaceable and quict lives in all godliness and honefty.'

We have been much pleased with the hiftorical and political parts of this difcourfe, the animated declamation which glows in others, and the liberal spirit that pervades the whole.

IV. Preached at Broadhead, Briftol, Nov. 5, 1788; being the hundredth Anniversary, &c. By Caleb Evans, M. A. 8vo. 6d. Buckland.

The ingenious author of this difcourfe (whofe text is from Ezekiel, xxi. 27.) introduces it with fome obfervations on the gunpowder plot. He remarks that the confpirators were all Papifts; and that fome of them, even at the place of execution, gloried in what they had done, and only lamented that it had not fucceeded. He adds, very jully,

We do not, however, wifh to load all the profeffors of Popery with the ignominy of this black tranfaction. It is the part of candour to acknowledge, that there were many of the Romish communion, who, at the time, abhorred the bloody purpofe, and as much rejoiced in the difcovery and disappointment of it, as the moft zealous Proteftant. And in the prefent day, I would willingly prefume, there are none to be met with, of any communion, who are not ready to join in a deteftation of every tranfaction so inhuman and diabolical.'

Mr. Evans then proceeds to confider the Revolution, and obferves that never furely was any portion of facred Scripture more ftrikingly verified and illuftrated, than this was in that great event.' He then fhews the abfurdity of applying it to the Restoration of the Stuarts, as fome of their friends have done; and remarks that in the prefent day thefe ignominious principles are fairly worn out.

The very name of a FILMER, the grand advocate for tyranny, though dignified with a title, is hardly known, while that of the immortal Lock E, the affertor of liberty, grows daily brighter and brighter; and there is no man fcarcely to be met with, who is not acquainted with his writings on the interesting fubject of Government, by which the very foul of defpotifm in Great Britain, has received its death's wound.'

The preacher, however, takes care to premife, that we cannot, in confcience, refift a good and lawful government:

Nothing