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forth is this, viz. That though the foul and body are separated by death; and the latter in a very short time is reduced to its original earth,-mouldered into duft and ahes,-diffolved into infinite millions of mere atoms,-each perhaps difperfed into as many different places; and after continuing during fuch ftate of diffolution and feparation for ages,-perhaps innumerable ages yet to come, and undergoing as innumerable changes and transformations, yet, that each particle of each individual body fhall, at the general refurrection, by the almighty power of God, be again collected, united. together, and restored to life again, in the fame identical substance, which each particular foul inhabited in the prefent life, and in this fate of re-union and revivifcence to enter upon a new and quite different state of existence,-a future life of infinite happiness, or exquifite mifery ;-not like the fhort and fhadowy one already paft, but which fhall continue to all eternity,-throughout all ages, a world everlafting and without end.'

Such Mr. Bateman afferts to be the doctrine of the refurrection, as revealed in the gospel; but afferts without attempting to prove. He merely endeavours to obviate an objection that may be made to its credibility, by alleging that God is omnipotent; an argument which will equally prove the credibility of every thing which falls within the limits of poffibility.

In his illuftration of the apoftle's allufion to the manner in which the fruits of the earth are produced from feed, he afferts, that in or. der to propagate every fpecies of feed which the earth bringeth forth,-from one, to produce an hundred measures of grain;-the way, the only way, is to caft that one into the ground, and fuffer it to continue there till it be entirely dead, putrified and reduced, fo far as our fenfes can perceive, to nothing; or fo mingled with the dust of the earth, as not to be diftinguished from it.' For this exaggerated and mistaken reprefentation, we may leave him to the correction of every one who is acquainted with the procefs of vegetation, and indeed of every common farmer in his parish."

The fecond Sermon is upon Luke xxiii. 42, 43. It gives the common interpretation of our Saviour's reply to the penitent malefactor, To-day thou shalt be with me in Paradife. He boldly afferts, that

to imagine, that the foul remains in a ftate of infenfibility from the moment of death to the general refurrection, is a doctrine utterly derogatory to the Almighty, and inconfittent with all his attributes of wisdom, of goodnefs, and mercy to mankind.' The following paragraph, intended by our Author as a reply to those who prefume to afk, why is the foul detained thus long in a state of separation from the body? &c. applies fo well to the above affertion, and indeed to all that he has advanced with much pofitivity, and little argument, refpe&ing both the refurrection of the body, and the intermediate state, that we are tempted to tranfcribe it. It is a very favourable fpecimen of his language.

God has promifed you a life of infinite and eternal happinefs hereafter his goodnefs difpofes, and his power enables him to perform what he has thus promifed. Ceafe then from search. ing to be wife above what is written. Do you, through faith ce, accept the bleffing; and leave the means, and time

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of accomplishing it, to his wifdom. To pry too inquifitively into the ways of providence, and afpire to comprehend all the caufes,the reafons, and the methods of God's dealings with mankind in bringing them to everlasting happiness, is equally prefumptuous, as it is above man's understanding, and can ferve no other purpose than to render him diffatisfied with the prefent ftate, and doubtful of the future.'

In his Dedication of thefe difcourfes to the Bishop of Lincoln, Mr. Bateman speaks of them as the first fruits of his labours of this kind, and fubmits them to his Lordship's judgment and that of the Reader's;' as he means from thence to be determined with refpe&t to the publication of fome others. If his Lordship's judgment, and that of the Public should agree with ours, he will not be encouraged to add any more to the already countless number of printed fermons.

FAST-DAY SERMONS. (Continued: See REV. for April.) X. Preached at the Parish Church of Tring, Hertfordshire, Feb. 21, 1781. By the Rev. John Dupré, A. M. Fell. of Exon Col. Ox. 4to. I s. Rivington.

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Ingenious, but rather too florid for the occafion. The Author very juftly obferves, that the late rapid circulation of a certain work (viz. Thelyphthora) the production (I blufh fays he to name it) of an unworthy minister of the gospel, which is intended to fubvert that conjugal union, on which experience hath demonftrated public and private happiness to be founded, will be a perpetual witnefs to the licentious fpirit of the prefent period! And yet this unworthy minifter under a delufion that almost aitonishes every fober and Chriftian reader, and with an effrontery that shocks modefty and decorum, imputes the rapid circulation of his infamous performance to the power of truth! XI. Evil providentially Good. Preached at the Parish Church of All Saints in Colchester, Effex. By Nathaniel Forster, D. D. Rector of the faid Parish. 4to. I S. Robinson.

A well-intended Vindication of Divine Providence in the infliction of national and perfonal calamities.

XII. Preached at Brompton Chapel, and at Charlotte-Street Chapel, Pimlico. By the Rev. Richard Harrifon, Vicar of the laid Chapels. 8vo. 1 S. Dixwell.

Contains fome fevere ftrictures on the prevailing vices of the prefent age, which have occafioned the diftreffes brought on us by the hand of God, as a neceffary chattisement of national fins. The Preacher touches on the thameful infults offered to religion at the numerous difputing clubs in the city; and the flocking profanation of the Lord's Day, by the impious inflitution at Carlisle Haule.

XIII. National Calamities, the neceflary Effects of national Wickedness. Preached at the Church of St. Warburgh, Derby. By Ellis Henry, A. B. Rector of Cranford in Northamptonshire. 4to. 6 d. Rivington.

The text is taken from Ifaiah, lix. 2.

The Author applies this portion of Holy Writ to the prefent times, and obferves, that, with refpect to this country, there are fome particular vices, by which it is become moft confpicuoufly infamous.

The vices he enumerates, are, a general difregard for every appearance of religion;-luxury, and diffipation; and an unbounded fondnefs for amufements :-infidelity to the marriage bed :-an impatience of all government,-contempt of the laws, and difaffection for the perfons by whom they are administered. After drawing this dark picture of the prefent age and country, the Preacher exhorts to a fincere and univerfal reformation; and when (says he) we have returned to a sense of our duty to God, let it be our next care to cultivate a spirit of allegiance to our Prince, and to admire and imitate thofe virtues which fo eminently adorn his character.'

XIV. Preached in the Cathedral Church of Ely. By Cæfar Morgan, A. M. Minor Canon, and Preacher in that Church, and late Fell. of Chrift Col. Cambr. 4to. Is. Cadell.

A very good difcourfe on the nature and improvement of a fast. It manifelts a true fpirit of piety and benevolence.

XV. Unity of Faith. Righteousness of Life, and Obedience to the civil Power (the Means of preferving the Peace of our Jerufalem), recommended; in a Sermon preached in the Cathedral Church of Worcester. By the Rev. James Stillingfleet, A. M. Prebendary of Worcester. 8vo. 6d. Rivington.

Very orthodox, and very loyal!

XVI. Preached at the Cathedral Church of Sarum. By Walter Kerrich, A. M. Canon, Refidentiary of Sarum, and late Fell. of Katherine Hall, Cambr. 410. 1 S. Wilkie.

Pious, modeft, and candid!

XVII. The hypocritical Faft, with its Defign, and Confequences. Preached at Norwich. By R. David. 8vo. 6d. Buckland. Bold and inflammatory!

SINGLE SERMONS on various Occafions.

I, Popery, The Man of Sin; The Son of Perdition; The Mystery of Iniquity. The Subitance of a Sermon preached on Nov. 5, 1780. 8vo. 6d. Buckland, &c.

Who is the Author of this Difcourfe, or where it was preached, remains a fecret; but a Dedication informs us that it is published at the folicitation and expence of Edward Webiler, Efq. The Preacher • totally disavows any reference to perfons; my bufinefs, he fays, is not with papists, but with popery; not with the religious of any denomination, but with their profeffional religion. And indeed he gives, in this fenfible and fpirited fermon, fuch a view of popery, as is fufficient to make us watchful against it's encroachments, and engage us, in his own words, while we beware of perfecuting, to beware alfo of being perfecuted.'

II.

A Difcourfe, in two Parts, on Ifaiah, Chap. vii. Ver. 14, 15, 16. Preached before the University of Cambridge, Dec. 24, 1780. By T. Poftlethwaite, B. D. Fellow of Trinity College. 4to. I S. Cadell, &c.

The Author of this fenfible and ingenious Difcourfe rejects the different explications which have been given of the prediction which he examines, and among the reft that of the learned Bishop Lowth. He apprehends that interpreters have been mistaken in their fuppofition that it was delivered with the view of perfuading and convincing

King Ahaz that he fhould be delivered from an invafion which then menaced him with utter deftruction, and endeavours to fhew that it had very different object;' viz. ' That it is a diftinct and literal prediction of the birth of Chrift, unembarraffed with double fenfes; that it is defcriptive, in part, at leaft, both of his dignity and humiliation; that it neither had nor was meant to have any completion but in his perfon; and that a fign (a miraculous fign, if the prediction of future events be miraculous) is therein held out to Ahaz, and the houfe of David, not only to evince to them the certainty of this extraordinary birth, but to infpire them with an affured hope and expectation that the line of David fhould never fail 'till this wonderful prophecy had received it's full accomplishment.'

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The only alteration he makes in our common verfion of the paffage is in the 16th verfe, where, infead of before the child,' he would read, For before a child,' &c. I his he prefumes will leave us at liberty, and with good reason, to understand this verse of some other child than that just spoken of in the fourteenth and fifteenth verfes. The following is a fhort abstract of our Author's paraphrafe of the paffage:

Behold, in the fulness of time, a Virgin fhall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Immanuel. This illuftrious offspring of David fhall not come into the world in the ordinary courfe of human generation. His exalted perfections indeed may well be fuppofed to be exempt from human frailties, yet he fhall not affume that privilege. He shall not even be a stranger to the weakneffes of childhood. Butter and honey fhall he eat, that he may know how to refufe the evil, and chufe the good."-His infancy thall require to be nurfed with the fame tender care as that of the frail offfpring of man; and the fame mild and delicate food thall be neceffary to his growth in ftature and wisdom. This humble and affectionate condefcenfion may well feem to you ftrange and unaccountable. It is indeed wonderful; but neither impoffible, nor incredible.

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this fign, which God now holds out to you, ye may affuredly know that this exalted perfon, this promifed feed, thall in his appointed time vouchsafe to blefs his people with this divine vifitation." Before a Child fhall know to refufe the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorret fhall be forfaken of both her Kings.". In less time than a child can be begotten, born, and become capable of diftinguishing good from evil; thefe two kings, who now menace you with inftant and apparently unavoidable deftruction, fhall lofe both their kingdoms, and their lives. If this come not to pass, then say that the Lord hath not spoken by me. But when ye see your deliverance, now fo hopeless, accomplished, both in time and circumftances, according to my words, it will then be the indifpenfible duty both of you and your children, with humble and implicit confidence, to expect, and look forward to, God's appointed time for difplaying to the world this myfterious difpenfation.'

Thus it appears, Mr. Pottlethwaite adds, that my text confifts of two parts. The two firft verfes contain an exprefs and literal prediction of the birth and character of Chrift; the last verse holds out a prophetic fign, whofe completion (fo foon to take place) should give full affurance to Ahaz and the houfe of David, that the preceding

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prophecy concerning the Meffiah, fhould in due time be punctually fulfilled.

It was not then in the prophet's intention to ftruggle longer with the perverfe and unconquerable incredulity of Ahaz and his house. It was comparatively of fmall importance to allay their fears, or to demonftrate to them the certainty of a deliverance which was almost immediately to be accomplished. But this illuftrious prediction of the birth of the Meffiah was of high and unfpeakable confequence not only to the houfe of David, but to the general interefts of religion in all fucceeding ages. And it was with the utmost propriery that the prophet retted the evidence and expectation of it on a deliverance, which impotence and defpair had then represented as utterly hopeless and incredible."

Other confiderations are offered to illuftrate and confirm the explication given of the paffage in queftion, particularly from what follows in the farther part of the chapter, concerning Maher-shalal-hashbaz; for which we muit refer our readers to the pamphlet.

III. The Character, Temper, Qualifications, and Duty of a faithful Minifter. A Sermon preached December 22d, 1780; at the Ordination of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Rutledge. By the Rev. William Rutherford, A. M. Mafter of the Academy at Uxbridge. Svo. I s. Murray.

This Sermon breathes an excellent fpirit of piety, candour, and true Chriftian zeal. It is plain, but animated and forcible. The Author expreffes a modeft wish to have his Sermon perufed rather with a fpirit of candour, than ftri&t criticism.' He need not be alarmed through apprehenfion of the latter; and as to the former, his pious and benevolent defign would entitle him to more indulgence, than he at prefent ftands in need of. IV. Innocence in eminent Luftre, and Malevolence confounded. A Thanksgiving Sermon, preached Feb. 11, 1781, on the honourable and happy Deliverance of Lord George Gordon, Frefident of the Protestant Affociation. By W. Auguftus Clarke. 8vo. 6d. Keith.

If Lord George's counfel had not managed his caufe with more fkill and addrefs than this Preacher, his Lordship would certainly have been hang'd!

KNOX on Liberal Education; HAYLEY's Triumph of Temper, and fome other articles which have been too long delayed, will appear in

Our next.

+++ LEGION's favour is entitled to our candid acknowledgment.

In the Catalogue Article of Confiderations on the Propriety of the Clergy acting in the Commiffion of the Peace, (lalt Month, p. 380); the Reader ought to be informed, that the extract from that pamphlet, in the fecond par. of the article, ends with that paragraph: the next following paragraph (which is erroneously marked as a continuation of the extract) being the Reviewers remarks on the paffage juft cited. The quotation mark hould, therefore, be transferred from the beginning of the third line, p. 381, to the end of the fecond line.

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