Reflections on the Growth of Heathenifm among Modern Chriftians: In a Letter to a Friend at Oxford. 8vo. Is. Rivington. It has been frequently fufpected that the influence of the heathen morals, with which persons of liberal education are made fo early acquainted and rendered so familiar at school, has vitiated the public tafte for the morality of the gofpel. Mr. Jenyns in particular, in his late view of its internal evidence, expreffes himself with fome indignation at the effects of fuch influence, in recommending to our admiration and approbation the falfe and meretricious virtues of paganifm, instead of the true and genuine virtues of chriftianity. We do not conceive, however, with the author of these reflections, that the fables of heathen mythology, which afford fuch a multiplicity of fubjects, and allufions for poetry and the fine arts, can have that influence on religion as he fuppofes. His objection to the pla cing the figures of heathen gods and goddeffes in chriftian churches, in gardens, affembly-rooms and theatres, and of introducing their characters and exploits in poems, and paintings, are reasonable enough. "When I see the dragon upon Bow fteeple, I can only wonder how an emblem fo expreffive of the devil, and frequently introduced as fuch into the temples of idolators, found its way to the fummit of a chriftian edifice. I am fo jealous in thefe matters, that I must confefs myself to have been much hurt by a like impropriety in a well known mufic-room, where there is an organ confecrated by a fuperfcription to Apollo, altho' the praifes of Jehovah are generally celebrated by it once every month in the choral performances: and it feems rather hard that Jehovah fhould condefcend to be a borrower, while Apollo is the proprietor." He obferves alfo that when we unite, under the character of chriftians, we should keep up to the ftile of our profeffion. There is certainly truth and propriety in this obfervation. But, whatever progress a spirit of heathenifm makes among us, and this is not a little, we apprehend there is little danger of the greatest enemies to christianity adopting the mythology of the pagans. Indifferent as its profeffors are in general to the effentials of religion, they have at leaft as much attachment to the chriftian religion as to any other nor is there any danger that men, who hardly believe in one God will foon be brought to believe in a great many. If by the growth of heathenifm this writer meant merely the decay of genuine chriftianity, we fhould think with him, our present fituation truly alarming; for certainly if to be mere nominal chriftians be to be real heathens, we live in a very heathenish age, indeed! * Su'fcrip Subfcription; or Hiftorical Extracts. Humbly infcribed to the Right Reverend the Bishops: And to the Petitioners; fhewing the impropriety of their Petition. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Hay. An ironical deduction of religious fubfcriptions from the earlieft ages to the present times. The author appears to be well acquainted with ecclefiaftical history and the doctrines of the gofpel; in his acceptation of the latter, however, he is one of thofe Latitudinarians, that take the liberty of modelling them agreeable to their notions, in order to reconcile them, as they imagine, more to the common sense and common understandings of mankind, than they appear to be after the established reprefentation of them. On the coming of the Meffiah, he says, all the mystery of religion was laid afide, as useless. "Whoever, continues he, fhall examine the doctrines of Chrift without prejudice, will find that the capital articles of his religion are thefe the fupremacy, perfections, and abfolute unity of God: the neceffity of moral purity, or of repentance for every conscious deviation from it: the forgiveness of fins, and moral reftitution as the effed of fincere repentance: the belief and acknowledgment that Chrift was the Redeemer promifed by God, and predicted by the prophets: that he fuffered actual death, was again raised to life: that all fufficient power was then given him to raise us at God's appointed time, from the ftate of actual death to a future life of immortality. At which period, there will be a doom of eqiutable retribution to every one according to the deeds done in the body. Thefe, as I apprehend, are the capital articles of the religion taught by Jefus Chrift: in which there is no difficulty; nothing unworthy the affent of a rational man: which call for no depth of human learning, nor any uncommon reach of human genius to comprehend them." " The divinity of our Saviour we see here left out of our author's creed, nor is the fenfe in which he is to be regarded as a redeemer fufficiently explained; and yet fimple and obvious as this writer conceives these articles of his belief, there are some of them fufficiently incompatible with human reason to justify the mere rationalist in his diffent. Lectures on that Part of the Church Catechifm, commonly called the the Apoftles Creed. Preached in St. John the Evangelift, Weftminfier. (Pursuant to the Will of Dr. Buby). By Thomas Bennett, M. A. 8vo. 5s. fewed. Plain, practical difcourfes, in which the preacher neither affects the caluift nor the fcholar; but addreffes himself to the common-fense and obfervation of a simple unlettered audience. Reflections Reflections on Government, with Refpect to America. 8vo. Is. Lewis. In favour of the Colonifts, but little applicable to the prefent ftate of the difpute. Remarks on a Pamphlet lately published by Dr. Price, intitled Obfervations on Civil Liberty, &c. 8vo. Is. Cadell. As this Remarker profeffedly "writes in every page on the fuppofition that a pacific negotiation may take place between Great Britain and her colonies," it is needlefs to notice either the force or foibles of his argument; there being no probability of any negotiation taking place till too great a fuperiority of force be exerted on one fide, to accept of any thing but unconditional fubmiffion on the other. ** Civil Liberty afferted, and the Rights of the Subject defended, against the Anarchial Principles of Dr. Price. By a Friend to the Rights of the Conftitution. 8vo. 2s. Wilkie. This affertor of Civil Liberty takes the liberty of being very uncivil with Dr. Price; whofe Obfervations, he fays, are a most virulent and fcandalous libel on the conftitution, on the king, and on civil liberty. -We do not rightly understand what he means by a libel on civil liberty: but that this pamphlet is a moft virulent libel against the author of the obfervations on it, is moft certain; if to charge a writer with contemptible bafenefs, unequalled effrontery, hellifh falfehood, and vile mifreprefentation, be libellous; which we conceive it to be in fact, whatever it may be in law. A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Price. By the Author of the Defence of the American Congress, in Reply to Taxation no Tyranny, 8vo. Is. Williams. This letter-writer puts us in mind of boys, who, flying their kites, fend up, what they call, a meffenger after them to no other apparent purpose than to fhew it foars in the fame line. Dr. Price had faid This wri the Americans are not our fubjects but our fellow-fubjects. ter is bold enough to say they are neither one nor the other; and fo far we agree with him that, if they cannot be reduced to subjection by government, they will neither be our fubjects nor our fellow-fubjects, but muft remain either rebels, as they are, or become of right, by the law of arms, their own governors. A Plan of Reconciliation between Great Britain and her Colonies; founded in fuftice and conftitutional Security. 8vo. 1s. Johnson. This writer would have the laws of taxation extend equally to Great Britain and her colonies, without the latter having any share in the legiflative reprefentation. The Conftitutional Advocate. 8vo. 1s. Flexney. A declaimer in behalf of the colonies, who advances little but what has been repeatedly advanced by former writers. Independency the Object of the Congress in America. 8vo. 1 s. Rivington. I That in the beginning of the prefent unhappy difputes with America, the majority of the colonifts were moderate enough to fee their interest in an amicable union with Great Britain, is not to be doubted. That their paffions have been fince inflamed to co-operate with the factious view of the defigning, artful few, who might have formed a scheme of independency, is not improbable. But that the delegates of the Congrefs, having once been regaled with the flattering incenfe of diftinction and dignity, fhould be fill moderate enough not to aim at independency, is highly improbable; even if the facts and argu ments of this writer did not render it more than probable. An Addrefs to the People of Great Britain in general, the Members of Parliament, and the leading Gentlemen of Oppofition in particular, on the prefent Crifis of American Politics. 8vo. I s. 6d. Newbery. A warm and pointed exhortation to the members of the oppofition, and the nation in general, to drop their argumentative disputes, and unite hand and heart to reduce the Americans to reafon by force, fince nothing but that ultima ratio regum is likely to determine the quarrel. The cafe, as he juftly obferves, is now altered, and the point of right is to be decided only by the law of arms. A Profpect of the Confequences of the prefent Conduct of Great Britain towards America. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Almon. Another ill-omened bird, who, with his raven-croaking, forebodes the ruin of the mother-country, for her harsh treatment of her refrac tory children the Americans. Sericus Serious and impartial Obfervations on the Bleffings of Liberty and Peace. Addreffed to Perfons of all Parties. By a Clergyman in Leicefierfhire. 8vo. is. 6d. Rivington. Our Leicestershire clergyman appears to be a peaceable well-meaning man; but alas! fo little lovers of peace are our modern champions for liberty, that it would be no bleffing to them (nay, they would not think themfelves in poffeffion of it) if they were not free to quarrel about it. In addreffing himself to all parties, he betrays, in like manner, his total ignorance of the parties, whom he is fo folicitous to advife. The writer, who addreffes himself to the paffions and prejudices of any one party, may fland a chance of being attended to; but, covet all, all lofe; he who would conciliate oppofite parties will be ever deemed an enemy, or at best be difregarded by both. The American War lamented. A Sermon, preached at Taunton in Devonshire, Feb. 18th and 25th, 1776. By Joshua Toulmin, M. A. 6 d. Johnson. Mr. Toulmin's profeffed defign in this difcourfe, was "to awaken, by a view of the profpects before us, religious fentiments and reflections, and to promote the revival of piety and virtue." It has happened, however, that his fermon has been thought by fome a mere political harangue. Indeed there is always fome danger of piety's being perverted, whenever it has any connection with politics: a reflection, which, we hope, will make this ingenious and fenfible divine more cautious how he takes occafion from me ely political profpects to promote the revival of piety and virtue. - r Reflections on the American Contest. 8vo. 1s. This profound Reflector tells us it is extremely impolitic to attempt to reduce the Americans to fubmiffion by force, left it increase their animofity against the mother-country. It would have been kind of him to have pointed out fome other method more efficacious, to prevail on them to return to their duty. *** The Principles of the Revolution vindicated, in a Sermon, preached before the University of Cambridge, on Wednesday, May 29, 1776. By Richard Watson, D. D. F. R. S. 4to. Is. White. A fenfible and fpirited difcourfe on the fubject; the choice of which, being delivered to fo learned and enlightened a congregation, might be the lefs reprehenfible: though we have more than once declared our opinion, that the pulpit is not the proper place for political harangues. *** A full |