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Private Thoughts on Religion, and other Subjects connected with it, extracted from the Diary of the Rev. Thomas Adam, late Rector of Wintringham. To which is prefixed a short Sketch of bis Life and Character. Second Edition. York: printed by G. Peacock, and sold by C. Dilly, and T. Mathews, London; by all the Booksellers in York; and by T. Brown, Hull, 1795.

THE author of this work was certainly a scribe well instructed--a man evidently taught of God. He died to the law, and was married to Christ, with whom he lived in sweet fellowship and communion to a good old age; and then, in him, quietly fell asleep. His faithful discourses from the pulpit, his judicious publications from the press, together with his upright and holy conver sation in the world, rendered him as much beloved as he was generally known to the church of God. Perhaps, few men have been better acquainted with the human heart, or have more effectually exposed its wickedness and deceits. How closely he attended to its deceitful workings in himself, and what excellent use he made of the precious remedies which God of his infinite mercy has provided against the same, the work before us abundantly manifests. The Private Thoughts occupy 253 pages of the book; to which is prefixed, an useful advertisement to the reader, by the editor of this edition; and 60 pages which contain a well written sketch of the author's life, by the Rev. James Stillingfleet, M. A. rector of Hotham, in Yorkshire; and an admirable preface, well calculated to obviate, what may be thought, plausible objections. The editors, in order to make these select thoughts of Mr. Adam the more useful, judiciously arranged them under the following heads: Confessions-The Scriptures-God-Human Depravity-Repentance -Jesus Christ-Faith-Good Works-Christian Life-CharityResignation Prayer-Sacrament of the Lord's Supper-Pastoral Office-Heaven-Miscellaneous. In proportion as the reader wishes not to deceive himselfin matters of the greatest importance, but in all things live to God, and keep a conscience void of offence, he may promise himself pleasure and profit in the careful perusal of this performance. When it was first printed, together with some other posthumous works of the author, it was foreseen that it would be approved as the most interesting part of them; and, as such, a greater number of the volume, containing the Private Thoughts, was printed, than of the others; yet, the whole impression was soon sold, and a new edition required; which is now given on an excellent type and paper; and for the sake of the welfare of immortal souls, it is most devoutly to be wished, that the sale and perusal may be as extensive, as the work is interesting and valuable.

Tetelestai:

Tetelestai: The final Close. A Poem. In six Parts.
David Bradberry. 8vo. 102 Pages. Rivingtons,
Conder, London; Thomson, Manchester, 1794.

By

S.

THE dedication of this poem consists of an assemblage of the superb titles usually conferred on mortals of civil rank, which the author applies to Jebovab Emanuel. His application of them is both peculiarly, and, we think, exclusively proper: yet it forms such a contrast with the common use of the terms, as to suggest ideas too ludicrous for the subject.

The several parts of the poem contain-Scenes and reflections introductory to the solemn events of the final close-The second Advent-The Resurrection-The Conflagration-The Judgment -The final Close.

The author observes, with much propriety, "That the subject is transcendently great and important. That it has employed the poetical geniuses of some writers of distinguished abilities. Yet, perhaps, neither is the subject exhausted, nor the attention of mankind engaged in the contemplation of it, in proportion to its universal importance." He adds, "whether the peculiar measure to which he has confined his verse, will appear to have any advantage, the reader must judge; but the writer well knows the superior labour which attends the formation of rhime, in short, yet various, and regular lines.”

The striking singularity of this poem, both in its form and execution, induces us to depart from our usual method; and, instead of attempting to characterize it, to afford our readers an opportunity of forming their own judgment, by furnishing them with the last two stanzas, which we think a fair specimen of the work.

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The paper and the printing (by Nicholson, of Manchester) are

elegant.

The

The Folly and Evil Tendency of Superstition Exposed: A Sermon. By Samuel Lowell. 8vo. 43 Pages. Price 6d. Flower and Jennings, Cambridge; Conder, Knott, Chapman, Thomas, London; &c. 1795.

THIS sermon is said in the title page to have been suggested by the late consecration of colours in various parts of this kingdom; but that circumstance forms no branch of the discussion. The text is Acts xvii. 22. Without investigating the meaning of the term translated superstitious, Mr. L. defines" Religious superstition" to be "a weak scrupulosity, proceeding from timid, fearful apprehensions of the severity of the Almighty." We think this definition far from being sufficiently comprehensive. Any practice, supposed to be essential to religious conduct, and not founded on a divine command, seems to be properly superstitious. We cannot help differing also from the author upon the freedom of Dissenters from this fault. Will the several classes of seceders from the established worship exculpate each other on this head? Or can Mr. L., who so fully proves that there is a disposition in man which leads him to the indulgence of this folly, consistently believe," that there is not any thing in the genuine principles" of any body of fallible men, "calculated to foster superstition?" The source of differences in opinion among sincere Christians, is the weakness of human judgment; and a forgetfulness of this obvious fact seems to us to be the sole occasion of discord among religious parties.

The author's talents are well known; and his reputation will not suffer by this performance, although he observes, that, at the time of delivering the discourse, the publication of it was remote from his thoughts.

Scriptural Subjection to Civil Government, in an Address to real Christians. By Thomas Sheraton. A second Impression, with some Additions and Corrections. 8vo. 62 Pages. Price IS. Mathews, &c. London; Stevenson, Norwich, Jones, Liverpool; &c. 1795.

OF this Address, published in conjunction with some cursory thoughts on the Nature of Christ's kingdom, we gave a brief account in the number for last March. It now appears to greater advantage as a separate publication; and it has received considerable alterations, which, on the whole, appear to us judicious. To support or to controvert Mr. S.'s argument would be equally foreign to the purpose of our Magazine. Among other corrections, we are surprized the author has not rectified his numerals, which he still writes, firstly, second, thirdly, fourth; using adverbs and adjectives alternately.

POETRY.

POETRY.

HYMN ON THE NEW YEAR. This year thou shalt die! JFR. Xxviij. 16. (SUNG AFTER A SERMON FROM THE ABOVE TEXT ON NEW YEAR'S DAY.)

DE

EATH! what a solemn word to all! What morta: things are men! We just arise-and soon we fall, To mix with earth again.

'Twas Sin that brought in all our woe,

And gave to Death his pow'r; Hence all our painful sorrows flow, Till life's departing hour.

'Tis Heav'n that fixes each event

Of varying life, and death; By him revolving years are lent, Or he arrests our breath.

Thankful, we own thy goodness past,

Thou sov'reign Lord of all: How long thy patience yet may last, We mortals can't foretel.

The year that now begins to-day,

Our life, perhaps, may close; Some here may soon be breathless clay,

And sleep in death's repose.

Oh! fit us for thy sov'reign will;
Thy mercy, Lord, impart :

Help us thy pleasure to fulfil,

And yield thee all our heart.

If longer life thou'rt pleas'd to give,
And more new years we see;
Oh! may we have new hearts, to live
Devoted, Lord, to thee.

Or, if a shorter space shall end
Our mortal race below;
Jesus, be thou in death our friend,
And heav'nly life bestow.

WINTER.

IOTA.

TERN_Winter comes in fierce ca-
reer: Behold!
[chains,

The earth, fast bound in adamantine
Presents a rueful spectacle; the trees

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Cloth'd their extended limbs in rich array. The boughs, which lately bent with fruit luxurious, [scape, And that grac'd the wide-expanded landSeem quite devoid of life. The pools are crusted o'er [herds.

With ice, and mock the thirsty flocks and The cottager awakes; when, strange to tell! [shed. A mount of snow surrounds his humble He rose to buy is little ones some food; But stay he must, till some kind friendly hand [air, Relieves him from his fears. Anon the In wild commotion, roars with hollow sounds [stately elm, Tremendous, through the trees; the That yesterday stood regent of the field, Just like a corpse, lies prostrate on the ground.

Nature now mourns the absence of. the sun, [climes : Whose genial beams are gone to southern How true a portrait, O my soul, of thee! When Christ, thy heav'nly Sun, with [faith

beams divine, Shines on the garden of his grace; thy And hope feel more than vegetative pow'r. But when he hides his face, thy winter

then

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NOW

TOW let me call the way to mind, Which God hath led ine through; The way that Wisdom had design'd, Before myself I knew.

And has it been a pleasing way?
A way of ease and health?
Have I in grandeur pass'd my days,
And fed on praise and wealth?
No-no such earthly toys for me;

The way that I am led,
Doth better with my soul agree,

Than if with pleasure fed.

I've pass'd through seas of grief and rain,
Through poverty and shame;

And learnt, in that and sickness too,
To bless th' eternal name.

I have, by this, been led to see
The evil of my ways;

To mourn, in deep humility,
The sins of all my days.

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The evils of my heart appear'd,

While I these trials hort;

I've learn'd to hose, I've learn'd to fear,
And hate those evils more.

To Jesus has my troubles led,
And taught my soul to feed
On blessings purchas'd by his blood,
O happy riefs indeed!

While thus I'm prov'd from year to year,

I learn to live above;

And long to leave this body here,

And join the heav'n of love,

BRITISH PHILANTHROPY TO THE HEATHEN.

Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days. ECCLES. xi. I.

HERE faith in Jesus' glorious

W name

Transforms the soul to love;

The spark from heav'n becomes a flame, That owns its source above.

-Hark! how yon tortur'd Indian moans,
And asks, in vain, for peace!
Hear-human victims' dyin, groans
Swell from the Southern Seas!

"Come over,-belp,"-what millions cry,
By language form'd of sighs!
Bear back, ye swiftest winds that fly,
What British love replies:

"The Bread of Life, by us possest,
"To distant seas we send;
"The floating heav'n' shall make you
blest,

"And Jesus be your friend.

"With willing hands, extended wide,
"Our gen'rous gifts we bear;
"We cast our bread upon the tide,

"As Heav'n's peculiar care,"

The off'rings faith and love present,
Can never, sure, be lost:

What thus is giv'n, to God is lent,

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