greatest part of them), in this country at least, require a liberal ufe of cordials and flimulants: but in faying this we are alfo aware that exceffive quantities may be attended with the mott fatal confequences. It is no less an old than a true adage, Omne nimium nocet.

ANTIQUITIES, HERALDRY, &c.

Art. 69. Preftwich's Refpublica; or a Difplay of the Honours, Ceremonies, and Enfigns of the Commonwealth under the Protector. ship of Oliver Cromwell, &c. 4to. 78. 6d. Boards. Nichols. 1787. The first article in this collection is a genealogical table, in which Cromwell is derived from Blethin ap Kynvyn, prince of Powis. The furname of Cromwell was introduced into the family by William, the Protector's great grandfather, who married the fifter of Thomas Crumwell, Earl of Effex. The fon of this marriage was furnamed Cromavell. He was gentleman of the privy chamber to Henry VIII. The fecond article is an account of the ceremony of the very so. lemn inveftiture and installation of Oliver into the protectorship. The title fays, written by me Edmund Preftwich, of the city of London, an eye and ear witnefs to all that paffed on this glorious occafion.' Then follow the defcriptions of the flags and armorial bearings of 458 commanders and captains of companies in the army of the commonwealth-a lift of the provincial governors of the military establishment-a lift of the navy-a lift, titled, the loyalift's bloody roll, or a lift of the lords, baronets, knights, &c. with their king and archbishop, that were flain in the late wars, oṛ executed by the high courts of juftice,'-another lift, titled, the names and armorial bearings of fundry noble and worthy perfonages in the commonwealth, with fome account of their families.'

-an account

The next article defcribes the death and funeral of Oliver Cromwell, with engravings of the funeral enfigns of honour which were carried in the procefion. To this is fubjoined a list of the members of the parliament which began January 1658 and was diffolved April 1659, being the laft parliament of the commonwealth.

The next article is a treatife on the English conftitution and government, at the conclufion of which we find a very minute and particular account of the prefent royal family, with the arms of all its branches.

The volume concludes with a few articles of a work, called the Alphabetical Roll.' This is a curious performance, and must be acceptable to genealogifts and heralds. It contains the names and a fhort history of the most refpectable families in England, with a defcription of their arms. This roll extends no farther than to Afpinball; but the remainder of the alphabet is promised in the fecond volume and in the mean time the communications of the curious are requested by the Author, Sir John Preftwich, directed either to himfelf at Bath, or his publifher in London.

:

THEOLOGY, &c.

2d. or

Art. 70. A fort Difcourfe on the Sabbath: By a Member of the Society for promoting Chriftian Knowlege. 12mo. 125. per 100. Johnton. 1787.

Serious without enthufiafm, and plain without meannefs; therefore well adapted to the defign for which it was written.

Art.

Art. 71. A Letter to the Caput of the University of Cambridge, on the Rejection of the Grace for abolishing Subfcription. By a Member of the Senate. 8vo. 1s. Johnson. 1788.

This is a spirited, fenfible, and well-written remonstrance. The author confiders the paffing of a rejection (Dec. 11, 1787) in the caput, to a grace for the removal of fubfcription to the thirty-nine articles, at the time of taking the degree of Bachelor of Arts, as a defpotic exertion of an arbitrary power, vefted in the caput in dark and arbitrary times. What apology the refpectable body, against whom this charge is brought, may chufe to offer for themselves, we cannot take on us to fay. Confidering the matter in the light of a general question, in which the public is materially interested, we muft, however, exprefs our hearty concurrence with the anonymous author of this letter, in the opinion, that the requifition of fubfcription at the time of conferring degrees, is an encumbrance on learning, and a foare to integrity, which, in the present state of knowlege, might without the fmalleft inconvenience, or hazard, be abolished.

Art. 72. A Recommendation of Brotherly-love, on the Principles of Christianity. To which is fubjoined, an Enquiry into the true Defign of the Institution of Masonry. By James Wright, A. M. Minifter at Maybole. 8vo. 4s. Boards. Edinburgh, printed. London, fold by Murray.

The general fubjects of the treatife are, the obligations of brotherly-love; its nature and proper expreffions; with the pleasures which flow from it. Thefe fubjects are confidered and illuftrated with good fenfe, judgment, and animation. The author discovers a pious, a benevolent, and a liberal mind. He appears to be a friend to peace and liberty, and all the real interests of mankind. They who perufe his book can hardly avoid the wifh at least to cultivate the spirit and purfue the practice it recommends. The arguments are powerful, and the style and manner, on the whole, are agreeable. Yet, it must be faid, that there is fometimes too much appearance of negligence, or too much repetition of the fame thoughts; perhaps, occafioned by the differtations having originally borne the form of fermons; compofitions which require to be fometimes diffufive in order to be the more useful.

The latter part of this work is devoted to the fraternity of FreeMafons. Brotherly-love, it may be thought, has no more immediate or neceffary connection with Masonry than with other arts or focieties among mankind. Nay, it might be apprehended that, fuch an afsociation would promote too much a kind of party-fpirit, and abridge or prevent fuitable regards to the human race in general. On this point we shall not determine. We have not the honour to rank with the Brethren of the Trowel. Our author, we conclude, is one of the initiated: he delivers to them fome excellent advice; but his principal purpose is to point out a method by which he thinks their inftitution might be rendered of the most extensive and important fervice: it is by making it a means of fpreading the christian doctrine among thofe who are at prefent unacquainted with it. He apprehends that a book on brotherly-love, as a branch of christianity, could be eafily introduced to the acquaintance of the

Brethren

Brethren of all mafon-lodges, which, being to be found in almoft every part of the world, might thus prove of use in propagating the religion of Jefus * !

Mr. Wright, poffibly, may have a view to his own book; and we do not think it ill calculated for the purpofe; but it must be tranflated into different languages.-Whatever are his particular views, his general intention, whether vifionary or folid, is undoubtedly good; and we heartily and fervently with well to whatever may contribute in a smaller or larger measure to the comfort and welfare of mankind.

Art. 73. Social Religion exemplified, in an Account of the firft Settlements of Chriftianity in the City of Caerludd. Written originally by the Rev. Matthias Morrice. Fourth Edition. Revifed by Edward Williams. Small 8vo. 3s. Shrewsbury printed: London, fold by Longman.

This book, we are told, has been long out of print, and much fought after, by perfons of different religious fentiments and perfuafions. Mr. Morrice, the author, was a diffenting minifter, first in South Wales, his native country, and afterward at Rothwell, in Northamptonshire, at which place he finifted his days, in the year 1738. The work is, in fact, a view of the difcipline, form of government, and religious worship among thofe chriftian churches which are termed congregational, or independent. We make no doubt that Mr. Morrice was a man of real piety and goodness;-that he had a warm and zealous attachment to the fentiments and mode, which are here fo particularly defcribed, is fufficiently apparent from this performance. It carries fome face of originality, and may be perufed with entertainment and improvement by those who do not concur in all the author's opinions. There is fomewhat ingenious in this plan, which is laid in the very early times of chriftianity, and fuppofes that two gentlemen (pagans) travelling from Caer-ludd (London) into Wales, there fell into the company of fome chriftians, and were introduced to their worshipping affembly, by which means they were converted, and were afterward the cause of erecting a chriftian church in the city to which they returned. If we have been rather amufed and pleafed in running through the volume, and think there seems more of chriftian fimplicity in the fcheme than in that of fome other churches which might be named; if alfo we can make allowance for the tenacioufnefs which is expreffed or implied as to that fide of difputable points which has been accounted orthodox; at the fame time we cannot withhold our disapprobation and our cenfure of the treatment, which fome perfons, in the church at Caer-ludd, are faid to have met with, for what were deemed beretical opinions, and which proceeded to excommunication.-It may be urged, indeed, that the harfheft measures here faid to be employed, and employed with a great appearance of humanity, are far preferable to fpiritual courts and ftar-chambers.-But when once

* How far this would be confiftent with the original fundamental principles of the fociety, which is faid to be much older than christianity, we know not.

this kind of authority is admitted, who can fay to what extent it may reach,-if there is but the power?

The editor has corrected and abridged the work, and added to it occafional notes, together with an index particularly relative to British or Welth words, and also a preface containing fome account of the author. He obferves that the dialogues were not originally compofed, and are not now published, to folicit applaufe, but to promote the most substantial interests of mankind; the low and illiterate not excepted. To the improvement of the latter, he fays, this familiar treatife has a peculiar refpect: and to this, we apprehend, it may contribute-except in fuch cafes as that we have mentioned before, and which, in our view, have a tendency to promote a narrow, bigotted, and uncharitable spirit.

Art. 74. Sermons on various Subje&s.

Published for the Benefit of the General Hofpital in Bath. By the Rev. Lancelot St. Albyn, A. M. Rector of Paracombe, Devon, &c. 8vo. 5s. Boards. Robinsons.

The contents of this volume are as follows; I. The nature of truth, John xviii. 38. II. Duties arifing from the knowlege of the true God, 1 Kings xviii. 39. III. Interested motives allowable in religion, Job i. 9. IV. Bleffed nefs of faith, John xx. 29. V. Union between moral and pofitive duties, Matth. xxiii. 23. VI. Happiness of felf-approbation, Rom. xiv. 22. VII. Danger of felfjuftification, Luke x. 29. VIII. The rich ruler, Luke xviii. 23. IX. Peter's repentance, Matth. xxvi. 75. X. Jofeph's advice to his brethren, Gen. xlv. 24. XI. Mofes's teft of his divine commiffion a vifitation fermon, Numb. xvi. 29. XII. Chrift crucified, the power of God, and the wifdom of God, 1 Cor. i. 23, 24. XIII. Analogy between the Jewish-paffover and the Lord's fupper, Exod. xii. 26. XIV. Shortnefs and mifery of human life, Gen. xlvii. 9. XV. Patience of Job, fupported by the hope of a refurrection. Job xiv. 14.

The immediate defign with which thefe fermons are made public, would fufficiently forbid any obfervations that might retard their fale, were we difpofed to make them. They were not written, the author fays, with even the most diftant thought of being ever fub. mitted to the public eye: but feparate from the laudable purpose of affifting an ufeful charity, the difcourfes themselves are, in general, well written, edifying, and perfuafive. We might perhaps object to some paffages; but, on the whole, we think thefe difcourfes justly entitled to our approbation, as compofitions well calculated for general utility.

Art. 75

Sermons on evangelical and practical Subjects. By the late Rev. Thomas Gibbons, D. D. in three Vols. 8vo. 12s. Boards. Buckland. 1787.

Those who have had any acquaintance with Dr. Gibbons, will expect that these difcourfes fhould be guided by a fyftem, and that fyftem Calviniftic. Such they will be found, as to the doctrinal part, but it should also be faid, that they are directed to a practical purpofe, and tend to form the heart to piety and goodness. The style is plain, and, on the whole, properly adapted to the pulpit. If the

fermons

fermons are not diftinguished by depth of thought or ftrength of reafoning, they are often pathetic, affectionate, and perfuafive. Though fcriptural, they are not critical; but rather take texts in a popular fenfe, without regarding that different and real meaning which farther attention might affign; they are not, however, without the appearance of being produced by a man of fome tafte and learning; fuch as the author was known to poffefs. Fourteen difcourfes in the first volume are from Titus iii. iv. v. vi. vii. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour, &c. XV. Early acquaintance with the fcriptures: 2 Tim. iii. 15. And that from a child, &c. XVI. Returning to the Lord. Jer. 1. 4, 5. In those days, and at that time, faith the Lord, &c. XVII. John xv. 8. Herein is my father glorified that ye bear much fruit, &c. Vol. 2nd. XVIII. Univerfal holiness. 1 Cor. xv. 58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye ftedfaft, &c. XIX. Human life fhort and uncertain. James iv. 14. XX. A crucified Saviour. John xii. 32. And if I be lifted up, &c. XXI. The Lord's fupper. 1 Cor. xi. 24.

XXII. A chriftian church. I Cor. i. 2. Unto the church, &c. XXIII, XXIV. Spiritual bleffings. Ifaiah xii. 3. XXV. The fcape goat. Levit. xvi. 21, 22. And Aaron fhall lay both hands, &c. XXVI, XXVII. Divine condefcenfion. Ijaiah lvii. 15. For thus faith the High and Lofty One, &c. XXVIII. Perfeverance. Phil. iii. 13, 14. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, &c. .XXIX, XXX, XXXI. Benefits of godlinefs. 1 Tim. iv. 8. Godlinefs is, &c. Vol. 3d. XXXII. Unfeen things. 2 Cor. iv. 18. While we look not, &c. XXXIII, XXXIV. Family government. Gen. 18, 19. For I know him, that he will command, &c. XXXV, XXXVI. Bleffings of the gofpel covenant. Ifa. xxv. 6, 7, 8. And in this mountain fhall the Lord of Hofts make unto all people a feast, &c. XXXVII. God all-fufficient. Ifaiah xl. 30, 31. Even the youths fhall faint, &c. XXXVIII, XXXIX. Putting on the Lord Jefus Christ. Rom. xiii. 14. But put ye on, &c. XL. Rom. viii. 2. For the law of the fpirit of life, &c. XLI. Triumph over death. 1 Cor. xv. 55. O death, where is thy fling?

We have only to add, that we confider Dr. Gibbons as a worthy and refpectable character, though we cannot always accord with his opinions, or admire his poetry.

Art. 76. The Chriftian Remembrancer; or fhort Reflections on the Faith, Life, and Conduct of a real Chriftian. 12mo. Is. 6d. fewed. Trapp. 1787.

A plain and serious book, which may be useful to many readers. It is rather of the puritanical caft; but it meddles not with controverfy its language is, while others difpute, let me enjoy;' and in order to this, it aims at forming the heart to piety and goodness: and if this end is attained and advanced, the means of effecting it are a very fecondary confideration. We have thought fometimes, in looking into this little volume, of Thomas à Kempis, or Bishop Hall's Meditations. All we have farther to fay is, that the profits of the treatife are devoted to fome poor perfons.