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REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS.

The Works of the late Rev. W. Romaine, A. M. 8 vols. 8vo. 21. 8s. boards. Chapman.

THE fix first volumes of this neat and uniform edition of Mr. R.'s works, contain those which are most popular, and which have long fince received the ftamp of the public approbation. The two lait contain the Author's life, by Mr. Cadogan, a valuable collection of letters to his moft intimate friends, an answer to confiderations on the Jew bill, and his well known effay upon pfalmody.

The common remark, that an author's character appears no where so juftly drawn as in his private letters, is eminently just when applied to Mr. R. There his temper and experience, his daily communion with God, and his growing acquaintance with his own heart--his zeal for divine truth, and especially for the honour of the Lord Jefus Chriit, are depicted in the ftrongest and moft glowing colours.

But the tract which we would more immediately point out to the attention of our readers, is Mr. R.'s anfwer to confiderations on the bill for naturalization of the Jews, which fo greatly agitated the public mind in the year 1753. There never was a time, the Editor thinks, when this could be brought forward with more propriety than the prefent, "when the Dutch Republic has granted the Jews an Act of Naturalization, and when the attention of fociety has been called to fome attempts toward their converfion in this metropolis."

Mr. R. endeavours to prove, That the Jews are not natural born fub jects, but aliens and vaffals, having no property, and no rights of their own; or in the words of an old law of Edward the Confeffor, that "the Jews and all they have belong unto the king." For this Mr. R. quotes fome great law authorities, and it cannot be denied that many of our kings acted in perfect conformity to this opinion. But when Mr. R. argues the fame thing from the authority of fcripture and the nature of the cafe, he is certainly lefs happy. He urges the curfe of excommunication against the avowed enemies of Chrift, and infifts upon the Apoftolic principle of not being unequally yoked with unbelievers. We agree however with Mr. R. in his conclufion, that Jews, as fuch, ought not to be naturalized, and incorporated with us, because we believe the Lord has wife ends to answer in keeping them diftinct and separate; but we are very happy to fee a different method taken to recommend Christirnity to them, and that the bowels of Chriftians are moved for them, to pray and attempt their conversion in the true spirit of the gospel.

The following curious anecdote from Raguent's hiftory of Cromwell, in page 321. will probably gratify many of our readers.

About the time Rabbi Manaffeh Ben Ifrael came to England to folicit the Jews' admiffion, the Afiatic Jews fent hither the noted Rabbi Jacob Ben Azahel, with feveral others of his nation, to make private enquiry, whether Cromwell was not that Meffiah whom they had so long expected. Which deputies, upon their arrival, pretending other business, were feveral times indulged the favour of a private audience from him. And at one of them, propofed buying the Hebrew books, and manuscripts belonging to the University of Cambridge, in order to have an opportunity, under pretence of viewing them, to inquire amongst his relations in Huntingdon hire, where he was born, whether any of his ancestor could be proved of Jewish extract.

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c. This

"This project of theirs was very readily agreed to, (the University being at that time under a cloud, on accouut of their former loyalty to the king) and accordingly the embaffadors fet forwards upon their journey. But difcovering by their much longer continuance at Huntingdon than at Cambridge, that their bufinefs, at the last place, was not fuch as was pretended; and by not making their enquiries into Oliver's pedigree with that caution and fecrefy which was neceffary in fuch an affair, the true purpose of their errand into England, became quickly known at London, and was very much talked of; which caufing great fcandal among the faints, he was forced fuddenly to pack them out of the kingdom, without granting any of their requests."

Sermon the first, with an Introductory Addrefs to the People of Ifrael throughout the world. By T. Haeis, L. L. B. and M. D. Price 6d. Button.

THIS is the firit of a courfe of Sermons to be published monthly, during the year 1798, by the Rev. Dr. Haweis, Dr. Hunter, Mr. Love, Mr. Greatheed, and other minifters; addreffed to the Jewish People, as well as to Chriftians in general.—The public attention has been already confiderably excited to thefe difcourfes; and the first, which is here printed, is an excellent fpecimen of the fpirit in which they are compofed. The particular object of this difcourfe is to itate the articles in which Judaifm and Christianity agree, in order to prepare the way to a statement of those in which they differ.-We cannot but cordially with fuccefs to every attempt to extend the Redeemer's kingdom, and we truft that the hearts' defire of all the Lord's people now is, that Ifrael may be faved; and therefore cordially unite with Dr. H. in recommending it to our Chriftian friends to endeavour to circulate these difcourfes among the Jewish people.

The Beauties of Henry, felected from his Commentary, with Memoirs of the Author, by W. Geard. Hitchin. Vol. I. 12mo. 4s. 6d. Button.

Mr. Henry's work hath been long admired for the many pithy and practical remarks with which it abounds; but its usefulness hath been hitherto impeded by its voluminoufnefs and expence: the public are, therefore, much obliged to Mr. G. for his labour in reducing the most interefting parts of this work to a convenient form and easy purchase. The prefent volume contains a faithful abftract of Mr. H. on the hiftorical books of the Old Teftament, from Genefis to Job inclufive; and we with Mr. G. much fuccefs in the profecution of his defign. If we have obferved any fault, it is in too ftrict an adherence to the words and phrafeology of the author; a fault however, which most of his readers will be very ready to forgive.

Village Sermons; or twelve plain and fhort Difcourfes on the principal Doctrines of the Gofpel; intended for the ufe of families, Sunday Schools, or companies affembled for religious inftruction in country villages. By George Burder. Matthews and Chapman, &c. London; Luckman, and Meridew, Coventry. 12mo. 148 pages. Price is.

IT is well known that the value of a book does not depend upon its bulk; and it may realonab y be afferted, that neither the merit of its composition, nor even the importance of its contents, is that which principally contti

tutes

tutes its worth. The first question that our author should put to himself; is, "What need hath the public for the work which I have in contemplation?" and the next fhould be, "How may I execute it, fo as best to fupply that need?"

This finall volume will stand the teft of enquiry in both thefe refpects. We look upon it as one of the greatest mercies of the rifing generation, that the call for fuch a work is obvious and general. Much good has been, and we truft much more will be done, both near the metropolis and at a diftance from it, by the zeal of private Chriftians, which has excited them to apply their knowledge of Chrift to the advantage of their ignorant and carnal neighbours. They have been admitted to pray, and read fermons in houfes, where minifters could not gain accefs to preach; and have thus, in various places, trodden a path, which the gospel has quickly pursued in the fullness of its bleffing. But wherever confiderable exertions of this kind have been made, there has been a fenfible want of proper difcourfes to read to fuch auditories. "Though," as Mr. B. obferves, "there are "hundreds of admirable fermons extant, yet, as most of them were originally calculated to edify intelligent and well-informed congregations, and "were publified on account of fome fuperior excellence in tyle or compo"fition, they are ill fuited to the inftruction of a ruftic and untaught people. This has induced the author to attempt a few VILLAGE SERMONS -very plain, and short, yet on the most interesting fubjects, and with "frequent appeals to the confcience."

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Each of the fermons is printed on one sheet, the pages of which are numbered feparately from the reft; in order that each may be difpofed of in the most useful manner, after having been publicly read. The fubjects arethe Jailor's converfion, the broad and the narrow way, the law, Chrift the end of the law, the fall, redemption, the new birth, repentance, work of the Spirit, holiness, death and judgment, hell and heaven. The leading truths of the fcriptures are frongly diftinguished, familiarly illuftrated, and fometimes powerfully enforced. As they are likely to be read for the greater part, to perfons, who, though deftitute of all religion, profefs to be of that established in this country, fuitable appeals are occafionally made to the articles and homilies of the Chnich of England. Brevity was indifpenfably neceffary; and each fermon may be read aloud in twenty-five minutes. This circumftance rendered it impoffible to exhaust any of the fubjects, and mult greatly have increafed the difficulty of executing the work. Clearnefs of thought, and plainnefs of expreffion, have evidently been Mr. B.'s principal aims; and in thefe, we think, he has remarkably fucceeded.

He oblerves that "Thefe difcourfes may be useful to families, especially "thofe who cannot procure more expensive volumes," and that "teachers "of Sunday Schools, where the means of grace are not enjoyed, may read "them to the children." He intimates alfo his thoughts of publishing another volume, if the prefent should prove acceptable and useful. As we are confident of the need, and the ufeful tendency, of this cheap and well executed publication, we strongly recommend it to our readers, and earnestly pray that the bleffing of God may give it the most extenfive fuccefs.

The Danger of neglecting the great facrifice. A Sermon, preached at the affizes at Cambridge, Auguft 22, 1797. By the Rev. Charles Simeon, M. A. Fellow of the King's College, Cambridge. 8vo. Pages 17. Price 6d. Deighton, Cambridge; Matthews and

Dilly

Dilly, London; Cooke, Fletcher, and Hanwell, Oxford; Ogle, Edinburgh; Brash and Reid, Glasgow.

THIS difcourfe is ftrongly characterized by loyalty to the exifting government, and faithfulness to the Saviour. Its file is forcible and manly, and its fentiments are highly evangelical. It attracted the notice and approbation of the Lord Chief Baron Macdonald, to whom it is dedicated. After a fhort, but beautiful explanation of his text, (1 Sam. ii. 25) Mr. Simeon obferves, that the difp nfing of justice, by perfons duly qualified and authorized, is an unspeakable bleffing to a nation; appeals to our own country in exemplification of the remark; praises the equity and mildness of the government, and pays fine compliment to Lord Kenyon, for his fortitude and integrity in ftemming the torrent of iniquity even in the moft opulent. But as there are many moral evils which are not cognizable by human laws, he very properly directs he attention of his hearers to that awful tribunal, where the fins of thought and defire, as well as those of purpose and act, will be charged on every impenitent tranfgreffor. Hence he takes occafion to exhort them to feek pardon by confeffing their guilt and pleading the atonement offered up by the Son of God; and enforces his exhortation by praying that the neglect of Chrift will be found, at that day, to have been the mott fatal of ali offences, fince it leaves the finner expofed to all the confequences of offended justice, without the leaft excuse for his conduct, and without the pothoility of efcaping deferved punish

ment.

The Conflitution and Order of a Gofpel Church, by the Rev. John Fawcett, M. A. 12mo. 58 pages. Price 6d. Wills. Johnson. Button.

THE worthy author of this tract is known to the world by feveral ufeful publications. The work before us is diftinguided by the fame accuracy of thought, neanets of tile, and fteady attachment to the gospel, which are apparent in the other labours of his pen. A church of Jefus Chrift is here defcribed on the congregational pi..; and an enquiry is made concerning the proper offices of it, with their refpective duties; and the difcipline neceflary to be oblerved. The who's difcuffed with great candour, and contains much ufeful information. We do not think it inferior to any thing on the fubje&t, within the like compaís, which has fallen under our notice.

A Sermon addreffed to the General Baptifts, on the canfes of their declenfian, and the means of their future profperity. Preached at the Baptift Meeting, Portfinouth. By J. Kingsford. Pages 32. Price 6d. D. Taylor.

THE felection and application of this text, (Eccles. vii. 27.) though ingenious, must have made many of the hearers fimile; but it is a faithful fermon to perfons of his own denomination. He enquires into the caufes of a decay in religion among the General Baptifts, and those which he affigns appear to us perfectly fatisfactory. Their minifters have not infiited on the guilty and miferable state of man-the neceflity of regeneration-the perfon, work, ability, and love of Chrift-the work of the Spirit in man's falvation the devotional part of religion, from an idea that it favours of enthufiafm-the progrefs of religion in the foul-the obstructions which Chriftians in general experience in the pritual life-and fuch a love for the fouls of men, as will produce an unconquerable zeal for their conver

hon.

POETRY.

POETRY.

A MISSIONARY HYMN.

CHRIST's UNIVERSAL KINGDOM.

WHILST Europe flames with bloody

wars,

And ranfack'd cities lie in duft,
Whilft mortal conq'rors in their cars,
In armed thousands put their trust;
Difplay the banners of our King,
Whofe peaceful throne for ever stands:
Angels and men triumphant fing---
"He reigns, he reigns on Heathen lands!
Whilft floating on the foaming flood,
The furious veffels meet the fray,
And dreadful scenes of human blood,
Tarnish the glories of the day:
See from afar, the willing tide
Bears the benev'lent Herald's o'er,
To fpread the tidings far and wide, ---
"He reigns, he reigns on Afric's thore!
Whilft finners rife in glitt'ring fhow,
And shoot their branches to the sky,
At length cut down in endless woe,
To weep with ever hopeless eye;
The righteous in the Saviour's love
O'er wrecks of worlds undaunted foar,
And fing in endless blifs above,
"He reigns, He reigns for evermore.
Whilft Rome's proud priests prefume to
boast

Their Idol God's with fronts of brafs,
Their temples levell'd with the duft
Shall fade away like fummer grafs :
But Zion's pricfts on heav'nly plains,
In everlafting glories dwell;

And thus attune th' immortal ftrains,
"He reigns, he reigns o'er death and hell.
SERENA.

THE BACKSLIDER's RETURN.

Thou, my God, who from thy throne fupreme,

Art mindful of the penitential tear, Kindly difperfing, with thy mercy's beam, The gath'ring clouds of darknefs and de(pair;

Lord, lend thine ear! O hear a finner's cry! And fave a wretch thy law condemns to die!

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