rendered of service to the more experienced scholar, by subjoining to each word, at the bottom of the page, not the translated authority of Gesner, but a reference to the original.

ART. IV. Sermons preached to a Country Congregation: to which are added a few Hints for Sermons; intended chiefly for the Use of the younger Clergy. By William Gilpin, M. A. Vols. III. (1804) and IV. (1805). 8vo. 145. Boards. Cadell and Davies.

IT is with sincere pleasure that we announce two additional volumes of sermons by Mr. Gilpin; for, though he trod in what some may deem a humble path, his exertions produced much advantage to others and much credit to himself. We certainly consider our author as a very useful divine. His great object was to inculcate Christian duties upon Christian motives; and to show that all hopes of happiness and glory in a future state of existence are to be founded, as Jeremy Taylor expresses it,

on

New Testament titles.'

The discourses now before us are written upon the same plan with the two volumes already published, of which the first was noticed in our 28th volume New Arr. page 316, and the second in vol. 33, New Arr. page 322.

The third volume is distinguished by that plainness and simplicity which it was the author's object to attain. It contains twenty-five sermons, of which twelve (from the thirteenth to the twenty-fourth inclusive) are on the christian religion.' To these, in particular, we are desirous of directing the public attention. They are executed in such a manner as to be very uesful not only to 'country congregations' but to every christian who is anxious to know the nature and the end of the gospel covenant. From the sixth (i. e. the seventeenth in the order of the volume) we make this selection:

• Let us now consider what comforts christianity holds out; or in what essential points it differs from the moral law. This matter is well opened in the text. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to them that believe:" (Rom x. 13.) that is, Christ came to make up the deficiencies of the law, and to save mankind through his merits as they could not be saved through their own.

• Christ gave us indeed a more perfect law to direct our lives; but this was not the great purpose of his coming. His great end was to make an atonement by his death for the sins of mankind-for the sins of all mankind; not of those only who lived since his time, but of those of all nations, and all times, even from the beginning of the world to this hour. He was "the lamb slain from the foun. lation of the world" -a remedy provided by the merciful goodness of a gracious God, immediately to take place as soon as the transgression was committed. Every one, it is true, shall be accountable for the advantages he hath had, and shall be judged accordingly: let those advantages however be as little as they may, if he hath lived up to them, be he Jew, Turk, or Heathen, it matters not, we have every reason to believe that "Christ was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world," for him, as well as for us. Christ was the promised Messiah, in whom, as was anciently prophesied, "all the nations of the earth were blessed"-not this, or that nation, which hath enjoyed the mosaic law, or the light of christianity, but, we are told, "all the nations of the earth." And thus St. John expresses it: "Christ is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world." And St. Peter, to the same purpose, assures us, that "God is no respecter of persons, but that in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him." The text seems to restrict salvation to those who believe:" but it can only apply to such as live in a christian country not to those who never heard of the gospel.'

The 4th volume is printed from the corrected manuscripts of the author, who is now dead, and whose last employment it was to prepare it for publication. It contains 25 sermons, of which the first two have appeared in print. The rest are entitled to all the praise which is due to those contained in the preceding volumes: they are animated by the same spirit, and more free from that colloquial familiarity which a fastidious critic might conceive approached now and then to the vulgar. We regret that the labours of our author are now at an end: for he was an honourto an honourable profession; and while he admirably displayed the peculiarities of the gospel, he never forgot to inculcate the value and the necessity of what an acute living divine aptly denominated 'substantial christianity.'

Mr. Gilpin was, in our opinion, an evangelical preacher in the best sense in which that epithet can be understood. He developed andexplained the christian scheme: he preached faith; -faith which worketh by love; faith which, like the gospeltree, is known by its fruits; faith which, while it ascribes glory to God in the highest,' is evidenced on earth by 'peace and good-will towards men.'

On a former occasion it was remarked that Mr. Gilpin's subjects were not such, and that they were not treated in such a manner, as best suited a rustic audience. Against the present volumes we do not bring these objections. If the subjects be not all absolutely of a practical nature, from each of them is deduced a practical application.

From the 25th sermon (John vi. 68.) we present to our readers the following passages. After observing that there are guides to happiness which the world produces, the author adds • We are told that reason is the great light which God hath appointed for the direction of man. Reason is his guide in every thing which relates both to this world and the next. A written law, like the scripture, may be subject to various interpretations. Different men put different senses upon it. But reason holds up a steady light; to which if we attend carefully, we cannot err.

And, no doubt, to dismiss our reason, is to dismiss one of our best friends; and yet, to set it up as a guide above scripture is, on the other hand, as dangerous. What is our reason, unless it be informed? How are the savages of the earth regulated by its light? They are human beings they have the use of reason as much as we: but if reason is no light to them, it is at least plain it is not qualified to be a general guide. Without proper information indeed our reason can be no guide at all; and we may with great probability suppose, that its best improvements, in civilized countries, have been obtained from the "words of eternal life." that they who set up reason against revelation, would destroy the very thing to which their reason is indebted for its chief improvement. For it hath been often shewn by learned men, that human reason hath been greatly indebted to revelation for that knowledge, which the Jewish religion first spread in the world, and afterwards the christian.' P. 331.

So

Among fashionable people, another principle is sometimes set up, called honour a very nice principle, which will not bear the slightest imputation. The man of honour is a finished character : the least reflection on his veracity fires him to the quick; but he will kill his friend in a duel, he will commit adultery, he will ruin his family by gaming, he will do a thousand wicked things, and his honour will not suffer the least injury. It is very plain then that honour, in its common acceptation, is no guide. We may discard it therefore, without farther hearing. "It is merely a principle of the world, and means only to adorn a bad practice with an honest name. True honour speaks no language but that of religion; and whenever we see them separated, we may be assured that honour, whatever importance it may assume, is in fact a debasing principle. Like the gospel-tree, it may be known by its fruits.'

P. 333,

The author then affirms that the holy scriptures are the only sufficient guide of life, and offers this excellent advice as to the manner of interpreting the difficulties which they contain:

• When difficulties arise in reading the scriptures, and you cannot explain them by the general intention of the word of God, which is to make men happy in this world and the next, be not discouraged: you may be sure, if they are difficulties, they are not necessary to salvation. Thus, for instance, when you read, that the Son of Man came not to send peace upon earth, but a sword," if you cannot explain the expression consistently with that general kind

ness, and mild disposition, which the christian religion every wher inculcates, leave it for the present, and disquiet not yourselves with a difficulty, from which many have taken a wrong turn, and raised a spirit of persecution against their brethren. There is not, be assured, a falser interpretation than this. Again, when you read that "the potter hath power overhis clay, to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour," do not suppose, as many have done, that some are fated from their birth to salvation, and others to damnation; but if you cannot reconcile the passage with the general tenor of the gospel, which assures us, that all mankind may be saved if they are not wanting to themselves, proceed to the more easy parts of scripture. All that is necessary is plain, and take it for granted, that what you cannot understand can never be required. But above all things take care not to be numbered among those who, as St. Peter tells us, wrest such parts of scripture as are hard to be understood to their own destruction; drawing from them such notions of God and religion, as are unworthy of both. The scriptures are not understood at all, if they are supposed to contradict that gentleness, that goodness, that universal tenderness to mankind, which the gospel every where expresses.'

P. 337

Of these sermons nine (from John v. 39.) comprise a brief explication of St. Matthew's Gospel. The author thus speaks of them:

• The following sermons are presented to the public, merely as a specimen of a mode of preaching, which I think may be useful to a country congregation. The scriptures will be read with more pleasure, the more each little difficulty, which now and then stops an unlearned reader, is removed.

• This mode of preaching might be carried still farther. The Sunday-lessons, from the old testament, are not all, perhaps, selected with equal judgement. Many of them contain difficulties, which want explanation. If these lessons, as they occur, were now and then explained as in the following sermon, it might have its use among the common people.'

To the truth of these observations we most heartily subscribe. Certain it is, that the great mass of the people are deplorably ignorant of the holy scriptures; to instruct them therefore in the words of eternal life,' to illustrate their obscurities, to reconcile their seeming contradictions, and to remove their difficulties, is, in the clergy, not less a beneficial employment than it is a bounden duty. The application to the business and bosoms of his hearers of the portion of scripture which the preacher undertakes to explain, would conclude his discourse with much effect and with great advantage. This plan is adopted by those who are not of the established church; but the ministers of that church will not, on this account only, neglect to follow it: 'fas est et ab hoste doceri.'

What we have now said will receive ample support by an appeal to the excellent lectures given some time since by the bishop of London; for the publication of which every sincere christian is much indebted to his lordship. Such talents so employed, particularly at an advanced period of life, reflect upon ecclesiastical dignity as much lustre as they receive from

it.

To the end of the volume is annexed a very useful analysis of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. It is meant to bring within a narrow compass the principal intention of the Epistle, and the connection of its several parts; and to correct two great errors which seem to have arisen from it; the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination.

• Both of them,' says the author, and truly, 'appear to be lost in a close attention to the scope of the epistle.'

The fourth volume is published by Mr. Gilpin's trustees, for the benefit of his school at Boldre; and we think a selection from it, consisting of the explication of St. Matthew's Gospel, and the analysis of the Epistle to the Romans, would not only contribute to promote this benevolent intention, but to advance the cause of religion and virtue amongst those whose good conduct is of such unquestionable importance to the peace and happiness of society.

The Hints for Sermons' deserve the attention of those to whom they are addressed.

ART. V.-The Life and Character of Bonaparte, from bis Birth to the 15th of August 1804. By W. Burdon, Α. Μ. 8υο. 4s. 6d. Ostell. 1804.

THE present and future interests of Europe are so intimately connected with the head of the French empire, that every publication tending to elucidate his character, or to make us acquainted with the wonderful incidents of his life, cannot fail to attract some portion of the public attention. This ex traordinary man seems to be one of those geniuses who, from time to time, are sent by divine providence, like comets, into the world, for some purpose which we in vain attempt to dis

cover.

The establishment of a new dynasty is an event which has for ages been unheard of in Europe. Thepresentinstance can scarcely be compared to the usurpation of Cromwell, who never placed upon his brow the round and top of sovereignty. The pre