REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. An Effay on the Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament, by JOHN DICK, A. M. Minifter of the Gospel, Slateford. Duodecimo, 300 pp. price 3s. 6d. Ogle, 1800. SOME fubjects, though of themselves not high in the fcale of worth, acquire importance from particular circumitances and occafions, and ftrongly arreft the public attention. There are others that poffefs a fterling worth of themselves, independent of circumstances and occafions, and have an undoubted claim to the most ferious confideration of mankind; where, in addition to their intrinfic worth, the state of the world, and the purfuits and fentiments of men draw them forth into public view, and call for the investigation of their merits, they acquire a twofold claim to general value and confideration. This is, in an eminent degree, the cafe with refpect to the publication which we now review. Mr. Dick has chofen a moft interefting topic, and one which, at the prefent time, is remarkably feasonable. The adverfaries of Divine Revelation have, of late years, been at amazing pains to propagate their gloomy tenets; and may have fucceeded in drawing away many, whofe understandings were not illuminated with the knowledge of Christianity, nor their hearts purified nor ettablished by its truths. How neceffary and expedient is it that the friends of Jefus fhould step forth, and difplay to the world the reafon of their faith and hope, and demonftrate that they have not followed cunningly devifed fables! This Mr. Dick has done. But it is easier to choose a fubject happily than to treat it well; and too frequently the feeble advocate of a good caufe injures, instead of promoting, its fuccefs. But with heartfelt pleafure we fay, this charge cannot be brought against our author. He has presented to the public an admirable effay on the infpiration of the Sacred Scriptures. We do not recollect to have met with any thing on the fubject which contains fo much matter in fo fmall a compaís. He has not given to the world what coft him nought. It is a work of labour, and discovers extenfive reading, patient and close thinking, and a judicious felection of the best ideas by an intelligent, acute, and difcriminating mind. The compofition too fmells of the lamp, and the oil was well spent. The plan of the work is as follows: After a brief Introduction, Chap. I. is on the nature of infpiration, or the fenfe in which we believe the Scriptures to be infpired. Chap. II. on infpired books.-Apocryphal books. Chap. III. and IV. On the Inspiration of the New Testament. Chap. V. On the Inspiration of the Old Testament. Chap. VI. Proofs of the Inspiration of the Scriptures in general. Chap. VII. Objections against the Infpiration of the Scriptures. Chap. VIII. Conclufion. All thefe topics Mr. Dick treats in a very able and fatisfactory manner. He has introduced a wider range of arguments than is common among divines on this topic, and he has made them bear on the point in difcuf fion with great force and remarkable skill. We Mr. Dick is, we understand, a Burgher (one of the fects of feceders) minifter in Scotland. But his work would not have difgraced a Bishop of England. We rejoice to think that there are fuch able men fettled in country places fo very obfcure, that we never have even heard of their names, till, like Slateford, they appear in the title page of a book. moft earnestly recommend this work to young people, who would underftand the evidences for the infpiration of the Old and New Teftament, and beg leave to fuggeft that it will form a very useful addition to a family library. MEMOIRS MEMOIRS of the late Rev. S. PEARCE, A. M. with Extras from his Letters. Compiled by A. Fuller. 8.00. 230 p. 35. 6d. Button, &c. IT is the character of a good fermon, to withdraw the hearer's attention from the preacher, and to fix it on the fubject of difcourfe; if the like characteriftic belong to a good memoir, Mr.F. is certainly a judicious Biographer, for he has contrived to throw himself completely in the back-ground, and exhibit only the fubject of his narrative, which he does in various beautiful points of view. Thofe, however, acquainted with Mr. F.'s talent of judicious and appofite remark will till regret he has been fo fparing of his own reflections; this work confifting almoft entirely of extracts from Mr. P.'s diary, letters, and poetical effufions. As we gave a Memoir of this amiable man in our laft year's Magazine we shall not think it neceffary to repeat the particulars of his life: we fhalf, however, embrace the opportunity of correcting a few flight circumftantial errors in our Biography, and fupply fome defects. Mr. P.'s firft eight or nine years were fpent with his grandfather; after which he was taken to his father's bufinefs. For feveral years after this he difcovered no marks of true ferioufnefs (though he had at times ftrong conviction) till it pleased God effectually to convert him by the miniftry of Mr. Birt, then co paftor of Mr. Gibbs, of Plymouth, recently decealed. In the warmth of his firft impreffion he not only drew up a form of covenant with God (which he copied from Doddridge's "Rife and Progress") but folemnly figned it with his bood: yet afterwards, when he found the weakness of his refolutions, and his pronenefs to depend on them, he tore this engagement into a thousand pieces-fcattered them in the wind-and placed all his future confidence in the blood of the cross. His commencement at Briftol Academy was under Dr. Evans, who alfo gave the charge at his Ordination at Birmingham, in August, 1790; and the next year (1791) he married Mils Hopkins, of Alcefter, with whom he lived in much affection and connubial happinefs during the remainder of his fhort pilgrimage on earth, Mr. P. was one of the first and most active friends of the Baptift Miffion to India; and when he heard of the safe arrival of the brethren (Carey and Thomas) in that country, he fo ardently defired to follow them, that he was with difficulty diffuaded, on the ground of the important fphere of ufefulness in which he moved at home. In 1796, however, he made a short miffionary excurfion to Ireland, where he had preffing intreaties to remain. October 10, 1799, was the happy day of Mr. P.'s triumphant departure to glory, and not of his funeral as we had afferted, through an error of the prefs. Having made these few obfervations and corrections, we difmifs this artiele, with obferving, that thefe memoirs exhibit one of the brighteft exam ples of genuine evangelical piety and fimplicity, united to very confiderable talents, we ever remember to have met with, and we are encouraged to ope they may be bleffed to form a fimilar character in the readers. N. B. Thefe Memoirs are fo paged, that Dr. Ryland's Funeral Sermon for Mr. P. must be prefixed to make a complete volume. MEMOIRS of the late Rev. S. MEDLEY, compiled by his Son: to which are annexed, Two Sermons, and a variety of Mifcellaneous Pieces in verfe. 8vo. 350 pp. 6s. Johnson. THESE Memoirs demand refpectful notice as a monument of filial gratitude, independent of the instruction and entertainment they afford. The writer has indeed declined to fketch a character of the fubject of his memoir, as a talk too delicate for a fon to undertake, and left it to be inferred from his remains; which perfectly confirm the fentiments we expreffed in the Biography of our laft Number; to which, for brevity, our readers are referred. NEW NEW PUBLICATIONS IN DIVINITY, For January, 1801. THE Works of Dr. Ifaac Watts, D.D. to be completed in 7 8vo. vol. ii. Cs. 6d. Fine copies, 8s. Conder, &c. vols. Exodus of the Septuagint Vertion, with various Readings of M SS.By R. Holmes, D. D. Rivingtons. Differtations on the Prophecies of the Old Testament. By David Levi. Vol. iii. 6s. Johnson. Critical Remarks on the Hebrew Scriptures, with references to a new Tranflation. By the Rev. A. Geddes, D. D. 4to. 11. 11s. 6d. Johnson. Lectures on the prophecies of Ifaiah, by the Rev. R. Mc. Culloch. vol. 3. 8vo. 7s. 6d. Ogle. The Publications of the Religious Tract Society, vol. 2, containing from No. 28 to 54 inclufive, 12mo. Is. gd. boards. Williams. A Prefent for your Neighbour. By Sr R. Hill, Bart. 12mo. price 3d. Champante and Whitrow. A new edit. Memoirs of the Life and Dying Experience of the Right Hon. Jane, Countess of Burford, 8vo. 6d. Rivington. Congratulatory Epittle from a true Churchman to the Rev. J. Martin, occafioned by his Letters on Nonconformity, 8vo. 6d.-Button and Son. Animadverfions upon a Pamphlet, lately published, entitled "Plain Thoughts," fubmitted to plain understandings. By a Retailer of the Gofpel. is. Williams. Animadverfions on Dr. Haweis's Hiftory of the Church. By the Rev. J. Milner, D. D. Dean of Carlisle, &c. Being the Preface to the 2d edit. of vol. 1. of the late Rev. J. Milner's Hiftory of the Church of Christ. 8vo. IS. Matthews. Familiar Compositions in Verde. By the late Mr. Pearce. Button and Son. 12mo. 6d. Hiftories of the lives of Young Perfons, intended as a monitor for youth. 6d. Ogle. Obfervations on Sunday Schools, and Itinerant Preaching, in a letter to the Bishop of Rochefter. By J. Townsend. 8vo. 2s. Matthews. SINGLE SERMONS. THE Duty of Patience under Public Suffering. By the Rev. S. Butler. 8vo. 6d. fine is. Longman and Rees. AN Introductory Difcourfe on the Nature of a Chriftian Church, by the Rev. M. Phillips; a Charge, by the Rev. E. Williams, D. D.; a Sermon, by the Rev. E. Parfons; with a Confeffion of Faith, &c. delivered Sept. 17, 1800, at the Independent Chapel, Doncafter; at the public feparation of the Rey. Samuel Bradley to the Paftoral Office. 8vo. Is. 6d. Williams. The Fall of Antichrist, the Triumph of the Christian Church. By C. E. Decoetlogon, A. M. 8vo. is. Rivington. On the Difference between the Deaths of the Righteous and the Wicked. Illuftrated in the inftance of Dr. S. Johnson, and David Hume, Eiq. A Sermon preached before the University of Oxford. By the Rev. Wm. Agutter, A. M. 12mo. 18. Rivington. A ferious caution against Popular Errors. A Sermon at the Unitarian meeting, Hackney, by T. Belham. 8vo. 1s. Johnion. The Exercife of Reafon and Liberty of Conscience, a discourse at Bridport. By R. Fry. Johnson. ERRATUM. In the Review of our laft Number, page 29, the price of Mr. Stewart's Account of the late Revival of Religion in the Highlands should be only 6d. M 2 OBITUARY. EBENEZER KEMP DIED, Dec. 2. 1800, aged 17 years. The natural disposition of this youth was mild and obliging: his education in the knowledge of the Scriptures, and the religious inftruction he had received from his parents, had fo far influenced his conduct, as to render him orderly and moral. In April, 1799, he was placed in a merchant's houfe in the city, where his affiduity, and attachment to his employer, afforded a fair promise of his becoming a valuable member of society. It His illness is fuppofed to have first proceeded from fitting fome hours with but little food on his stomach, in a recently painted room. prefently fhewed itself in fevere pains in his bones. In the autumn of the year, he was obliged to relinquish his employment; in confequence of a fwelling on his hip, which, after many attempts to difperfe it, terminated in a confirmed abfcefs. During this part of his illness, he suffered fevere, and often excruciating pain; but entertaining hopes of recovery, his fpirits were but little depreffed; at length his conftitution appearing to fail under the preffure of his diforder, and his own hopes and those of his friends declining, his fpirits funk under his affliction-he began to judge hardly of God's conduct towards him; would fometimes murmur very much, envying the health of others, and at laft fell into a state of mental despair and rebellion. * This is the way which it pleafed God to take at once to wean him from the world, to fhew him the true ftate of his own heart, to acquaint him with his fallen condition, that he might make himself known to him. One Lord's-day morning, June 29, as the family was going to worfhip, he complained much of being left behind in a fuffering ftate, intimating, that he seemed to be forfaken of God, to end his life in pain and mifery. His mother affectionately told him, that the great end of his afflictions was not answered, that he must humble himself under the mighty hand of God, and feek him by earnest prayer, and by reading the Scriptures; to this he anfwered" I cannot read the word of God, nor any thing elfe." Before fhe went, however, the placed on his table the Bible, and the Rev. Mr. Brown's (of Haddington) Select Remains; when he opened the latter, he turned happily, to that part entitled "An Address to a Sore-vexed Soul delivered." Here he found the workings of his own mind fo juftly defcribed, as to aftonifh him; the door of hope appeared, and he immediately applied himself to examine Mr. Brown's quotations from Scripture, which he found fuited to his cafe; "How I was enabled faid he to take hold of them I cannot tell, but I was enabled to apply all the promises to myself, as yea, and omen in Chrift Jefus." The tranfports of joy which he felt on this occafion, were, doubtlefs, inexpreffible. His friends had left him gloomy and defponding; they found him, oh! how changed, enlivened with a hope for eternity. He foon afforded them the cheering intelligence, that life was no longer coveted, and death no longer dreaded" I would rather die than live (faid he) for I believe that I have obtained mercy of God, and that I have an intereft in the Bleffed Redeemer." Though not forward to enter into converfation with those who were older than himself, he foon evinced that he had no fear nor reluctance in fimply relating what At the Academy Chapel, Hoxton. he experienced of the grace of God. He had often wondered when religious people met, that their converfation was fo much about the love of God, but now, he was furprised that they did not talk much more about it. During the remainder of his life, he enjoyed great peace, fometimes experiencing even transports of joy, though at other times, but not often, or for a long continuance, he was affailed with temptations, and troubled with doubts. His body wafted by flow degrees, being confined 19 weeks to a bed, from which he never rofe; and in which he could fcarcely be in the leaft moved, without fuch an agony of pain, as would extort the sweat from his face, yet under fuch circumitances he would contemplate and rejoice in the manifold love of God. He was fearful of deluding himself, particularly when, owing to the greatnels of his pain, he could not meditate on the promises; at fuch a moment he found relief from the words of the Pfalmift, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whofe mind is ftayed upon thee, because he trufteth in thee." I know, faid he," I am trusting in him." When his friends were reading the 51ft of Ifaiah, he remarked on the 22nd verfe," Death, judgment and eternity, and the thoughts of the reunion of foul and body, were a cup of trembling to me; but God has for ever taken it out of my hands, and I can fay with Dr. Watts, "Corruption, earth, and worms 'Till my triumphant spirit comes He rejoiced in the goodness of God as manifefted even, in his fevere affliction" I know that this light affliction which is but for a moment, shall work out for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Health and many religious privileges," said he "did not allure me, therefore, God was obliged to work by his rod." He was anxiously concerned for the happiness of others, and most affec tionately warned his young relations and friends to feek early the falvation of their fouls, and not defer it till they came on their death-bed; teiling them that it might be with them as it had been with himself, their hearts might be full of rebellion against God; and though he had experienced mercy from God, it was not the cafe with all." To one of his young acquaintances standing by him whilft his abscess was dreffed, he said "You may think this is a hard way, but it is a right way: fhall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" He attempted to imprefs upon the mind of this youth, the uncertainty of life, and the wifdom of devoting himself early to the fervice of God. A perion calling to fee him, who had formerly made a profeffion of religion, but had then drank into the pernicious fentiments of infidelity from Paine's Age of Reafon, was fo ftruck with the arguments he adduced for divine truth from its internal evidences, and with the happiness he evidently enjoyed, that he had not a word to fay in his own detence, although requeited by a relation of the deceased to anfwer the youth if he could. Suspecting his end to be near, he took an affectionate and folemn leave of his family, giving up himfelf and them by prayer to God. At another time, in fimilar circumftances, when his father asked him the state of his mind, he faid "I am relying on the all-fufficiency of a Redeemer's merit; I am looking to him as my faviour, friend, and judge, who having redeemed me by his blood, will not condemn me at his bar. For who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect, &c." About three weeks before his diffolution, his diforder had fo encreased, that he laboured under the conftant difcharge of feven abfceffes; another was |