commended them, had they been corrected and finifhed by the author. The whole work is divided into four parts. The first treats briefly of the Canon of the Old Teftament; the fecond contains general Obfervations on the Apocrypha, and reafons, from the contradictions and abfurdities with which it abounds, why it ought not to be ranked in the canon. The third part confifts of a Differtation on the Septuagint Verfion, in which fome curious and critical queftions are difcuffed in a judicious and pleafing manner; particularly the question relating to the ufe which our Saviour, as well as the evangelifts and apoftles, have made of the Septuagint tranflation, in their quotations from the books of the Old Testament. The laft divifion of the work was intended for a critical Examination of the Canon of the New Teilament, but is very imperfect. If the learned author had lived to complete his plan, we doubt not but he would have rendered it more worthy the attention of critical and well-informed readers, as well as more generally instructive and useful.

Dr. Priestley continues the pubfication of "The Theological Repofitory," and invites contributions to the work, from all lovers of free inquiry, whatever their opinions may be. "No paper, he declares, fhall be refufed admittance, that fhall contain obfervations on any fubject of importance, that are either properly new, or that fet things in a clearer or stronger point of light. I fhall even confider communications from ferious unbelievers as of peculiar value; for truth never has, and we may be confident never can fuffer, but, on the contrary, muft gain by the freeft investigation. I fhall only

except againft tracts in which I fhall perceive no love of truth, and no regard to the rules of decorum." A work of this kind, carried on with perfect freedom and impar tiality, must be favourable to the increafe of theological knowledge, and an accurate critical acquaintance with the holy fcriptures. And, notwithstanding that we dif fer from the conductor of it, in refpect to fome of his opinions, as friends to liberal difcuffion and to truth, we fincerely wish to fee his plan perfevered in and well fupported.

The author of "A Key to the Mystery of the Revelations," feems to be an ingenious and well-intentioned writer, though we cannot fay that he hath given us more fatisfaction than others who have preceded him in commenting on that myfterious book. He confiders it as defcribing a "regular feries of ecclefiaftical events, from the beginning to the end of time, but yet varioufly expreffed, agreeably to the feven parts into which they feem naturally to be divided." The fcheme which he adopts is fimple; but ftill it is the offspring only of conjecture. And notwithstanding that we may be difpofed to admire his filial piety, as a fon of the church of England, in applying to her what is faid of Philadelphia in the prophetic vifion; and in concluding, "that the only profeffion of the true Chriftian faith is according to the doctrine of the church of England; and that her liturgy and fervice must confequently be a model for all other nations to conform to;" we fear the sturdy champions of other Protestant churches and fects will vexatioufly call for proofs, and protest against the partiality which he dif covers for our venerable mother.

The author of "An Examination of Mr. Robinfon of Cambridge's Plea for the Divinity of our Lord Jefus Chrift," is a fhrewd and fenfible writer, and well verfed in the art of difputation. He is a zealous advocate for what is ufually called the Socinian hypothefis; and with confiderable ingenuity explains away many of the paffages of Scripture, which have been thought favourable to the opinion of Chrift's pre-existence. But the attack of our examiner is not confined to Mr. Robinfon's Plea; in the preface he feverely reproves Mr. White, the Laudean profeffor, for the reflections he had caft on the Socinians in the appendix to his Bampton Lectures. Upon the whole, the author writes with great decency and moderation, as well as judgment; although fome of his readers will think, that they difcover in him the pride and zeal of a partizan, from the keen and pointed expreffions which fometimes efcape from his pen.

"A Letter to Theophilus Lindfey, A. M. by a Layman," is not intended fo much for a refutation of Mr. Lindfey's principles, by an appeal to the fenfe of the Scriptures, as to point out their fuppofed dangerous tendency; and to reftore to their rank in orthodoxy, fome pious men whom Mr. Lindsey had claffed amongst Unitarians. We cannot beftow commendation, either on the spirit with which these pages are written, or the ftrength of argument by which the defign of them is fupported. The author appears to be gloomy, bigotted, and intolerant. If, when coolly viewing the picture which he hath drawn of the confequences of Mr. Lindfey's publications, he ferioutly apprehends them, his feelings are truly deferving of cur compaffion.

But a free examination of the facred Scriptures cannot be productive of fuch evils. And fuperftition and ignorance must be the refult of that reftraint on enquiry, thofe fhackles of human creeds, and that execution of the laws against herefy, for which our layman fo pioutly contends.

In A Caveat addreffed to the Catholics of Worceller against the infinuating Letter of Mr. Wharton," Mr. William Pilling, a prieft, fteps forth the champion of the dying interefts of popery, with unbounded confidence, and with equal zeal. But the arguments which he ufes are not fuch as can injure the proteftaut caufe. Neither will the better informed part of the catholic communion be proud of fuch an advocate. A Berrington or an O'Leary will be attended to by them, pleading the caufe of Chriftian charity and univerfal toleration, while the ravings of bigotry are defpiled.

Thofe who have been converfant in the writings of the late Dr. Johnfon; who have admired the elegance and beauty of his Lives of the Po.ts, or venerated the intellectual powers which the papers of the Rambler difcover, will read, with a mixture of pain and difguft, the "Prayers and Meditations" which have been published under his name. The prayers, indeed, if they are remarkable for no great faults, have no excellencies; nothing, in the leaft degree, characteriftic of Dr. Johnfon. They are faint and languid imitations of the preferibed forms of devotion in the Book of Common Prayer. With refpect to the rest of the work, on which the editor hath bestowed the title of Meditations, every lover of the doctor's memory muft wish that it had been fuppreffed. It is full of

weakness, fuperftition, and bigotry, May fuch an indifcreet, unfriendly publication, foon fink into oblivion, nor lefien the regard which is due to his admirable defences of religion and morality! Thefe labours of his are truly valuable, and will live as long as the English language, and will be admired, whereever that is undertiood, by every friend of genius and of virtue.

Dr. Fordyce's "Addreffes to the Deity," will be read with pleasure and edification, by thofe who are defirous of cult vating a fpirit of fervent devotion. "They are meant," he tells us, "for a pecies of pious conten plations, where the foul, acting under an animating fenfe of the divine prefence, exprefles with humility and ardour her inmoft thoughts, affections, and defires, on differ nt fubjects, and fill looks up to God as her parent and her judge, whofe approbation conflitutes her fovereign felicity, as he alone can protect and bless her through every period of her exiftence," The first address is, on a View of the Sea; the fecond, on Salvation by Chrift; the third, on Contemplation; the fourth and fifth on Providence; and the fixth, on the Death of Dr. Johnson.. If the worthy author had, in fome parts of thefe compofitions, been more careless in respect to the polish and embellishment of his language, they would not be lefs acceptable or af fecting as devotional exercifes. We doubt not, however, but that they are the dictates of his heart; and that his defign in publishing them, was to recommend to the world that fpirit of chearful animating piety, which is fo favourable to the happinefs of mankind.

In giving our account of the Sermons of the year 1785, the firft

place is due to á volume of "Dif courfes on various Subjects, by Thomas Balguy, D. D. Archdeacon and Prebendary of Winchefter." The author of thefe Difcourfes hath juftly acquired a chas racter, in the literary world, for clofe logical reafoning, and for a freedom and liberality of fentiment, that do honour to the man and the Chriftian. In the Domestic Literature of a former year, we have had occafion to fpeak highly of the ingenuity and ftrength of mind dif coverable in his Treatife on the Divine Benevolence, And we should lofe all claim to impartiality, did we not warmly recommend the prefent production to our readers. We do not engage to approve all that the worthy author hath faid on the fubject of church authority, and on fubfcription to articles of religion; but in the general train of his Difcourfes, we meet with a hap py combination of what is enter. taining and inftructive every can. did mind will read, with grea pleafure, his obfervations on religious liberty; and his advices to the clergy, are worthy the attention of all of that order, who are defirous of becoming good and uteful minilers of Jefus Chrift.

Mr. Churton's Eight Sermons on the Prophecies relpecing the Teftruction of Jerufalem," are fen: fible and ufeful compofitions. They do not, it is true, bear any striking marks of originality or genius; neither do they fupply us with any new illuftrations of Scripture. But they are well adapted to the inftruc tien and edification of common readers, from the fpirit of piety which they breathe, and the eafy accurate manner in which the most important facts are arranged.

With the fame approbation da we take notice of Dr. Apthorp's

"Difcourfes on Prophecy; read in the Chapel of Lincoln's Inn," at the lecture founded by bifhop Warburton. They are pious and learned; and are proofs of the author's being poffeffed of an enlarged and liberal mind. The reflections particularly, in the two laft difcourfes, on the connection between religion and morality; and the undifguiled manner in which he delivers his fentiments on the neceffity of improvement and reformation, do great credit to his abilities, and to his heart.

Worthington's "Difcourfes on various Subjects, evangelical and practical," are written in a ftyle and fpirit that must greatly recommend them to every pious reader. The worthy author has miniftered, as he informs us, to a congregation of protettant diffenters at Leicester, above forty years; and thefe difcourfes are publifhed at their defire, that when he is taken from them, they may poffefs fome fruits of his labours. The fubjects of them are of the most interesting kind; the religious fyftem they contain, rational and moderate; and they are compofed in language which is plain and intelligible to the meanest capacity, at the fame time that it cannot offend men of taste and refinement, The author's principal view, next to that of improving the hearts of his readers, feems to be that of reprefenting the doctrines of Christianity, in a light in which they are approved of by our reafon, and are molt honourable to the perfections of the Deity.

A volume of "Sermons on va rious Subjects," &c. by Mr. Kirkpatrick, is a publication confifting of feveral particulars. In the first part of it, we meet with an apology for the proteftant diffenters of the Prefbyterian perfuafion, written with

a confiderable fhare of fpirit, and no mean ability, The fecond part confifts of eight fermons on different fubjects; and the third of forms of prayer, baptifin, and the Lord's fupper, according to the practice a mong diffenters, in which, though there are no marks of fuperior genius, and the ftyle and manner are common, we have, nevertheless, fome additional evidence of the au thor's good fenfe and liberality.

Among the fingle Sermons of the year, which have been numerous, the principal ones which call for our notice, are, Dr. Parr's "Difcourfe on Education, and on the Pans purfued in Charity Schools," and Mr. Moore's "Sermon on the In troduction of Sunday Schools." Dr. Parr's difcourfe abounds in just and noble fentiments; difcovers an intimate knowledge of the human heart, together with a lively ima gination, and an enlarged underftanding. His ftyle is clear and nervous, and is enriched with many beautiful claffical allufions. In fome inftances, likewife, he hath carried the pathetic to a very high degree of perfection. To the dif courfe he hath fubjoined many learned and elegant notes, fuch as we fhould expect from a perfon of his great literary abilities. In giving his advice refpecting the virtuous education of children, what he fays on the government of their paffions, a fenfe of fhame, a ftrict regard to truth, habits of diligence, and the love of God, is deferving the attention of all parents and teachers. On account of the inftruction and pleasure which it will afford, we fincerely recommend this difcourfe to all claffes of readers.

Mr. Moore's "Sermon on the Introduction of Sunday Schools," was preached, on the day of a vifitation, at Rochester, where it met

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