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Thall be worlds to receive us when we leave the prefent. We fee numbers, I know not what may be and still greater numbers are unknown to us. the purpose of God with respect to them; nor what may be the final pur pofe and counfels of God with refpect to this, as to its inhabitants. He has given us, at leaft, Chriftians, he has given us ground to expect the greatest and most fublime things that can be conceived.

Then let us in

dulge the fubject. Strengthen your hearts with a view of this divine revelation; apply it to all the incidents of your lives; bring your forrows and your diftreffes to it. It will beam forth with new, fresh, brighter, and more durable luftre than the rays of the fun; and be accompanied with fresh discoveries to the latest period of your life."

Lesture II. (on Luke xxiv. 44.) is alfo of an Introductory nature, and defigned particularly to fhew that the defcriptions which are given in the New Teftament of the perfon and character of our Lord Jefus Christ, were not firtt invented and brought forward, either by Jefus Chrift himself, or by the Apostles; but, that they were well known and understood among every clafs of the Jewish people, before the appearance of Christ; of which we have many decifive proofs, and from whence it plainly follows, that there must be fome fuch perfon and character, as the Evange lifts and Apoftles have reprefented the Lord Jefus to be; otherwife, there can be no light, no truth in the Old Testament Scriptures." (p. 32.) As a fpecimen of the manner in which our ingenious preacher fupportsTM this propofition, we infert the following intructive Extract. (fays he) in the

"I shall

"First place, bring forward the fentiments and opinions of their own writers, the oldeft that are extant, next to the Prophets themselves. And in order that it may be done to advantage, I must take the liberty to obtrude upon your ears the use of words and terms to which, perhaps, they are not familiar. I muft particularly take notice of, what are called, the Jewish Targums. And, not to use the word in vain, I beg leave to explain it to you before-hand. The word Targum, fignifies a tranflation. from one language into another, or a paraphrase of thofe parts that are fo tranflated, or both of thefe together.

"There was an early neceflity of tranflating the Hebrew Scriptures into the Chaldee language; for, from the long residence of the people in that country, they in fome meature loft their native tongue. This was done early; and of these things which were thus early performed, many are loft. The oldest Targums that are extant, go by the names of Onkelos, and Jonathan Ben-Uzziel, or Jonathan the fon of Uzziel. That of Onkelos feems to have been the most ancient. They were both difciples, as it is faid, of the great Hillel, who was one of the most confiderable men among all the Jews. He was of the feed royal by the mother's fide, and exercifed the authority of a magiftrate and law-giver in many and various particulars; and was the head of the Sanhedrim. Perhaps, neither of them lived long before the appearance of Jefus Chrift. Perhaps, they wrote about forty years before the incarnation of the Son of God.

"There is another Targum or tranflation, called the Jerufalem Targum. Its age cannot easily be afcertained. There are various other Targums, but these three only are particularly worthy of our respect, and were regarded as authorities by the Jews themfelves. From them we might endeavour to learn the fenfe of the Jewish Church before the times of Christ, concerning many remarkable prophecies which related to the coming of the Meffiah the Son of God. I will take notice of a few. Their number indeed is great, but a small quantity will be fufficient for our purpose at

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prefent.

prefent. The oldeft prediction is this, that "the feed of the woman fhould break the head of the ferpent, and that the ferpent fhould bruise his "heel." So it stands in the book of Genefis. Thefe Targums exprefs themselves thus, after they have given the text. "man themfelves fhall bruife the heel in the latter days of the Meffiah.”* "The fons of the woAnd the other fays, "They themselves fhall bruife the heel, in the "end of the days, in the days of Meffiah the king."-They feem to have had juster views of the character and office of the Messiah, than many of the Jews had in the days of our Lord's miniftry. They bear a remarkable teftimony to the fufferings of the Meffiah, and to those fufferings as brought about by their own countrymen; who called themselves defcendants of the promifed feed, and heirs of that great and divine feed which was foon to make his appearance."

Lecture III. (on John i. 43.) endeavours to prove that Mofes, was the Author of the Pentateuch, in which, the objections of Paine are very fatisfactorily refuted; perhaps, more particularly than they deferved. For the 4th, which is the laft of Mr. Feil's Difcourfes, the Editor offers an apology, from the ftate of bodily infirmity in which it was delivered. It contains chiefly hints and sketches of ideas, which had his life been fpared, Mr. F. would doubtlefs have purfued with the fame ability as the former. We fhail only add the conclufion to this Lecture, which forms his folemn farewell to his audience and to the world. zealous to maintain the truth of the Scriptures, put this queftion to your "While you are felves, "What advantage is it to me, if the Scriptures be true? What "objects do I propofe by maintaining their authority? Have I any in❝terest at stake?" Ah, my friends! the greatest intereft: that intereft, without which, your very beings could not be a bleffing: That interett, without which, all your hopes must be fwept away: That intereft, without which, every thing beyond the grave, must be awful and horrid darknefs, while we are in the prefent ftate: An intereft, which, if loft, we are robbed of every comfort-of every confolation-of every joy-of every peace. May you find, and bind it to your hearts, and live for ever in the fight of God. Amen!"

The eight remaining Lectures were delivered by Dr. Hunter, and difcover the fame brilliant eloquence difplayed in the Author's other works. Lecture V. opens the plan of the fucceeding Difcourfes, under the following propofitions:- 1. That the religion of Jefus Chrift is entirely conformable to all the ideas of Deity, which we are enabled to form by the exercife of our own reason, on a ferious contemplation of the great univerfe; in other words, that it is the true, and only, religion of nature:-2. That it is univertally congenial to the conflitution and frame of the human mind:-3. That it is moft happily adapted to the feelings, ne、 ceflities and expectations of the human heart, at every fucceffive flage of man's existence-4. That it is our most infallible guide, and our fecureft guard, amidst all the viciflitudes of this tranfitory life :-5. That it is the ftrongest and tweetest cement of human fociety:-6. That it is the fatisfactory interpretation of the mystery of Providence: and-7. That it confitutes the grand proct of immortality, and exhibits the only rational difplay of a life to come.

Without depreciaung the character of any of thefe Difcourfes, we may venture to alcribe peculiar merit to the Eighth, which discusses the third propofition from Luke xxiii. 39-43, and fhews how admirably Chri tianity is adapted to the various cucumftances of human life; and with an extract from this, (p. 245.) we fall conclude the prefent article of Review,»

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"We conclude with leading your attention, in the fifth and laft place, to that fingular and affecting instance of human mifery, and of divine mercy, which is the fubject of the history read at the opening of this difcourfe; for to adduce every inftance to our purpose were the work not of a Lecture, but of a whole life.-We have here a man in a ftate of dreadful extremity, fuch as even this valley of tears exhibits not every day. A man floating on the confines of two worlds, in all the agony of bodily torture, purfued with all the remorfe of an accufing confcience, telling him that he fuffered justly, that he was receiving the due reward of his deeds; a man alarmed with the overwhelming apprehenfions of inftant judgment, and a miferable eternity. The hand of the executioner is lifted up to ftrike the blow which is to extinguish hope for ever, and, terminating bodily pain for a feason, to let loofe upon the foul the worm that dieth not. Awful interval, but not given up to the blackness of abfolute despair! All is not loft, for the finking eye can yet fupplicate, and the faltering lips pronounce a requet. "Lord, remember me when thou comeft into thy kingdom!" Who is this that calls Jefus Lord, now that he is defpised and rejected of all men; now that his difciples have forfaken him and fled; now when they that fee him laugh him to scorn; now that his ftrength is dried up like a potherd; and his tongue cleaveth to his jaws, and he is finking into the duft of death? Who is he that afcribeth to him a kingdom, at this hour and power of dark nefs, when earth has renounced him, and the rays of heaven are intercepted, and hell triumphs? Who is he that prays to one who has refigned the power of faving himfelf? O man, great is thy faith! Against hope thou believeft in hope; and thy hope fhall not make thee afhamed. And who is He that from yonde triumphant ignominy difpofes of heavenly thrones, who opens and fhuts at his pleasure the everlafting doors of the invifible world, who plucks the trembling creature as a brand out of the burning, and transports the prifoner of hope into the paradife of God? He on whom help is laid, the Lord mighty to fave, even to the uttermoft, them that come unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them. Thus, then, from the fweeteft, mildest, meekeft condition of human life, to the most dreadful extreme of deprava tion, and criminality, and diftrefs, the gofpel becomes "all things to all men;"-the instructor of babes, the confolation and joy of old age, the provifion of poverty, the monitor of riches, the refuge of the miferable." Sentimental Beauties, from the writings of Dr. BLAIR, felected with a view to refine the tafte, reality the judgment, and mould the heart to virtue, 4th edit. 12mo, pages 326, 45. London, John Wallis.

Dr. Blair's Sermons have long been confidered as a model of elegant and claffical compofition, which may be admitted with allowance for a few Scottish idioms. Although the Dr. is not always perfectly evangelical, he abounds with fine fentiments on the perfections of Deity, the condu&t of Divine Providence, and the Chriftian Morals; and it is of fach paffages that the prefent volume principally confifts. We agree with the Editor that, whoever "Carries a book of this Nature in his pocket, will be able to redeem many valuable hours: Not to say how useful it must be to have fuch a Monitor at hand; from how many fcenes of diffipation it may guard, or how many acts of folly it may prevent."

The prefent Edition contains more than double the number of Extracts in the former; and we obferve with pleafure, that they are not frittered down into mere Proverbs, as is too frequently the cafe in works of this nature. The additions are from the two laft volumes of Dr. B's Sermons, with fome useful paffages from his Lectures,

SINGLE

SINGLE SERMONS.

The True Patriot, a Sermon, freached before the Military Affeciation of the united Parifies of St. Andrew, Holborn, ond St. George the Martyr, at John's Chapel, Bedford-Row. By R. CECIL, A. M. 40 pages, Evo. 15. Rivingtons.

THOUGH the contracted nature of our Review, will not permit us to announce all the Single Sermons, which come before the Public, and in general, we pafs over thofe on political occafions, this and the fucceeding one, we conceive merit an exception. The text, from 1 Sam. xvii. 29, is ftriking and appropriate, and adapted with judgment to the prefent cecafion by the following general obfervation: "Extraordinary occations warrant extraordinary exertions; in which rightly to engage, diftinguies the good Citizen and the Chritian."-In this Difcourie, Mr. C at once justifies his fellow-citizens in atrociating in defence of themselves and families, their country and religion; and at the fame time properly cautions them, left while they profefs to be defenders of the Faith, they should themselves perith in unbelief. To thofe acquainted with Mr. C's compofition, it may be unneceffary to add, that the ftyle is neat, the spirit meck and evangelical, and the obfervations pertinent and judicious.

A Sermon, preached Aug. 13, 1798, before the Reading Affociation, &c. at the confecration of their colours. By R. VALPY, D. D. F. A. S. Chaplain to the Affociation, 8vo. 36 pages, 15. 6d. Reading, Burdon, London, Elmily and Bremner, &c.

This difcourfe alto, as we have already hinted, is clearly distinguishable from the general run of moral, political, or military harangues. The author confiders the prefent ftate of Europe, and comparing it with the scripture prophecies, commences the reign of Antichrift, in A. D. $38, when the Goths were driven from Rome, and Vigilius purchased the popedom; from whence reckoning 1260 years, the period of his continuance, he finds his fall in the prefent year, in which the Pope has been driven from his dominions. The Doctor, adds "How far the destroying monster of the French Republic, like Alaric, and the other favage conquerors, who were employed as the fcourge of Divine vengeance to punish the Romans, may be deftined to fulfil the collateral prophecies concerning the fall of the Ottoman Empire, and the refloration of the Jews, a fhort time will, perhaps, determine for all these things must come to pass."

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In the close of the difcourie, Dr. V. gives fome excellent advice to his military audience, on the importance of being Chriftian foldiers, and of fighting the good fight of faith. In a note, p. 28. the Dr. makes honourable mention of the exertions of the Mifhorary Society, and expreffes an ardent wish for the univerfal spread of the Gofpel and its bleffings. The text is Matt. xxiv. 44 "Therefore be ye alto ready!”

Of the confecration prayer, and the fpeeches on delivery of the colours, we fay nothing.

ERATUM in laft Month's Mag. p. 448, line 3, for " read" Bifhop of Budweis."

Bifhop of Badwin,"

POETRY.

POETRY

A PRAYER

FOR THE MISSIONARIES GOING
TO THE SOUTH SEAS.

JESUS, our Lord, thy kindness fhew,
Secure them from each fare and woe,
And guard them by thy pow'r:
Thro' trackless deeps be thou their guide,
Their fears difpel, their wants provide,
And blefings on them how'.

O fill their fouls with joy and peace,
Faith, and its holy fruits increate,

And on them fhed thy fmiles!
Prepare their hearts with ev'ry grace,
To teach benighed fouls thy ways,
In diftant Southern-ifles.

With joy may they their brethren meet,
With pleasure hear them all repeat,

The wonders God has done!
And in the bleft employment join,
Till, in the heav'ns above, they thine
Far brighter than the sun.

THE MOURNING RING.

Ineft fua gratia parvis.

IITTLE, circling, shining thing!
Dying Friendship's gift-a Ring!
Duft thou new this finger grace?
Let me then thy meaning trace;
Thou thalt teach me to be wife,
Wifdom more than gold I prize.

In thy circling form I fee
Th' emblem of eternity;
In the gold of which thou'rt made,
Is eternal wealth pourtray'd.
While the dear departed Name,
Oft re-kindles Friendship's flame;
In the date of life I fee,
Man at best is vanity.
While the folemn day of death
Tells me I muft yield my breath ;
Each inftructive word is found
Well infcrib'd on darkeft ground;
Thus the legend feems to say,
How earth's tend'reft ties decay!
Joy must yield to certain griet,
Death, however, brings relief.

Little, circling, shining thing!
Mournful, but inffractive Ring!
Thou can't teach me to be wife;
May I look beyond the skies!

S.

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gave?

Delufive all; Affliction bows my head, And Death, in fpite of Time, prepares the grave.

But whether muft my wand'ring fpirit go, When death's cold hand fhall cut the brittle tic?

Must I be banish'd to the fhades of woe, Or, borne on Seraph's wings, afcend on high?

A thousand guilty fears my heart corrode ; Ten thousand fins appear in dread array Where mult I fly to fhun an angry God? Ah! to what unknown region wing my way?

Methinks I fee my dear Redeemer frand, With mercy floating in his languid eye; And while to Calv'rys mount he points his hand, "Sinner, (he cries) there did thy Savi

our die."

"Behold my fide--Behold hands and my

feet

"Behold the fountain which can make you whole!

"Difpel your fears, here find a fafe tetreat;

"Here reft your weary burthen'd fin-fick foul.

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