submit to the law, and conform to the disposition of our Spiritual King, we are the children of the kingdom, and shall have an inheritance in eternal happiness. But if we neglect this law, and yield ourselves to the do. minion of Satan, we are the children of the wicked, and shall have our portion in eternal misery."

The seventh discourse, from Luke xv. 11, 12, is an exceeding good one, as well as the last. The second volume contains ten sermons, on the following Parables: 1. The Importunate Widow.2. The Pharisee and Publican.-3. The Unforgiving Servant.-4. The Labourers in the Vineyard.-5. The Servants and the Pounds.-6. The Vineyard let to Husbandmen.-7. The Marriage Feast.-8. The Ten Virgins.-9. The Servants and the Talents.-10. The Last Judgment. Three other Sermons are subjoined. One, on the Good Shepherd, and two, on the King of Israel. The second, fourth, and fifth of these discourses we have distinguished as particularly good; and the first of the two sermons on the King of Israel, from John i, 49, is a very eloquent and impressive discourse. In the sermon, on the Servants and the Pounds, Mr. Farrer takes an opportunity to enforce the doctrine, that the degrees of present guilt will regulate the measures of future punishment, which he supports from the declarations of our Lord himself, as contained in Luke xii. 47, 48, and Matt. xi. 21, 22.

"The heathen shall not be excused for a sinful course of life, because he was enabled even from the fainter light of reason to discriminate between right and wrong, and to derive some intimation of a God that judgeth the earth. But, he is not obnoxious to that high degree of pu. nishment which is incurred by him, who lives under the light of heavenly truth, yet perseveres in habitual sin, and equally disobeys the precepts and disregards the motives of the faith under which he lives."

"I have dwelt the longer upon this argument of discourse, because I do not look upon it as a merely speculative doctrine calculated only to entertain the fancy, but as a truth of the greatest practical utility to reform the heart, to draw a man from sin, and to improve a man in godli. ness. If the general assurance of future happiness to the Righteous and of future misery to the Wicked, be the great motive to religious practice, that motive must derive a still superior force from this particular assur. ance, that the degrees of their future happiness or misery will be award. ed in some proportion, or with some regard, to the measure of their present service or unfaithfulness.

"It must put some restraint upon the Wicked in the course of their transgression. For though they may labour to discard from their minds all thoughts of a Judgment to come, yet a sense of what must hereafter be, cannot always be suppressed. Their conscience will intrude upon them in their solitude, in their adversity, nay even in the croud of their gay Associates, and in the midst of their dissipations, and will alarm their guilty minds with a sad conviction, that they are under the wrath of God and subject to the sentence of his justice. Now if any thing can augment this painful apprehension, it must be this reflection, that the longer they persist in a sinful course, and the deeper they plunge in wickedness, the more they heighten their account with God, and the hotter vengeance they draw down upon themselves."

They

That this reflection may produce a proper effect on the sins of dissipation and wealth, on the votary of fashion, and on the "whoremongers and adulterers" of the age, who outrage alike, by the barefaced profligacy of their lives, the authority of God, and public decency, must be the fervent prayer of every true Christian. When we consider that, in our conduct, in this our state of probation, our future unhappiness or misery must depend, and that, when this transitory life shall have passed away, our doom, whatever it may be, will be irrevocably fixed; that the season for reform, and the time of repentance, will never more return; that the wicked know from divine authority," that what they once endure, shall neither know termination nor abatement: the worm shall not die, the fire shall not be quenched;" when these things are considered, who that is vicious will not hasten to return to the paths of virtue, and who that is virtuous will not with steadiness pursue the ways which his Redeemer has pointed out to him? The Scriptures speak too plainly on the unlimited obedience expected from man to the commands of his God, to be the sub, ject either of misconception, or of misrepresentation;-the rewards of that obedience, and the punishment of disobedience are also as clearly defined. And we cannot close our review of these volumes better than by extracting, from the sermon on " the Last Judgment," in which the author has discussed this question most ably and comprehensively, a passage, from which those worldlings, who flatter themselves that while they only transgress one or two of the commandments, and observe all the rest, they may escape the dreadful punishment denounced against the disobedient, will perceive that their error is as gross in itself, as it may be fatal in its consequences.

"In order therefore to form to ourselves some opinion of the state of our souls, and the state of our preparation for the final Judgment, it be hoves us to examine the conditions, on which the tenor of our sentence will depend.

"Now the terms of our acceptance are variously proposed in different parts of Holy Scripture. The condition of inheriting eternal life is sometimes stated by the name of Faith, and sometimes by the name of Righ. teousness. But these different statements are easily to be reconciled on this reflection, that it is the customary style of Holy Scripture to put one religious attainment, especially if it be of the superior kind, to compre hend and represent the rest. Thus Faith, which in its literal sense implies a belief in the divine mission of Jesus Christ, is frequently to be understood to embrace all the the dispositions of the Christian heart, and all the exercises of the Christian life: as being the root of godliness it comprehends all the branches of a godly conversation. Thus Righteous❤ ness, which in its literal sense implies all kind of equitable dealing between man and man, is extended in the phrase of holy writ to signify the whole range of disposition and of duty that we owe both to God and Man, the principle of action, and the act itself. There is so close and intimate a connexion between the several branches of the Christian law, that a Man who cordially studies one, is powerfully inclined to cultivate the other also. A true principle of faith will guide us to the observance

and practice of all our duty. And if we fail in any point, our failure shews that we are deficient in the principle. Upon this ground the Apos tle declares, that whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all: for by the transgression of one law he disclaims the authority of the divine Lawgiver as effectually as by the transgression of all the rest."

We have already given our opinion of the general merit of these sermons, which we have no hesitation in recommending as a valuable addition to our stock of sound theclogical discourses. Some verbal errors, and incorrect expressions occur, which it is our duty as critics to notice, but principally with a view to their correction, in a future edition of these volumes, as well as to prevent a repetition of them, in any subsequent compositions of this able and eloquent divine.

66

Whether they understood or no," (not) vol. i. p. 46. "We embrace in our belief all the doctrines (which) he has taught, and comprehend in our practice all the duties (which) he requires," p. 64. This omission of the relative which, occurs at least fifty times in the two volumes, and cannot fail to offend every classical ear. "Among the nations round," (around) p. 71. Every diligent minister of the gospel-dispensing the same word in the sphere of his respective ministry." p. 93. The word respective is here improperly used. If he had used the plural number, and said all diligent ministers in their respective ministry, the word would have been properly introduced; as it is in the following passage, in p. 96: "They instruct us to improve our respective portions, &c." In p. 103, 104, "These were the seed," instead of the seeds, occurs three times. "We have neither such obstacles on the one side, neither (nor) have we such extraordinary support on the other." p. 107. "We are not to satisfy ourselves in (with) praying." vol. ii. p. 15.

"For conformation or investiture into (of) the kingly office." p. 136. In p. 211, referring to two parables which he had noticed, he makes a mistake by calling that last mentioned the former, (1. 9), and that first mentioned the latter (1. 26.) "We frequently examine and review our past conduct, and where we see any fault or defect, immediately to repent." p. 248. The to should be omitted." Exacts of his servant a greater task them he puts him in a capacity to pay," p. 266. To pay a task is not an allowable expression; it should be to perform. "His meat and drink was (were) to do, &c." p. 426.

The Belgian Traveller; or, a Tour through Holland, France, and Switzerland, during the Years 1804 and 1805; in a Series of Letters from a Nobleman to a Minister of State. Edited by the Author of the Revolutionary Plutarch, &c. in Four Volumes. 12mo. PP. 1212. Egerton. 1806.

IN his dedication of this work to Mr. Windham, the editor tells that gentleman, that it is not only his own opinion, but that of Talley rand

leyrand also, that had the last war been conducted according to his notions, the family of Bourbon would now have been seated upon the throne of their ancestors, the Continent would have been tree,

and all Europe at peace. We must know more of Mr. Windham's plans and intentions at that period, than we are yet acquainted with, before we can acquiesce in the accuracy of this opinion. That Mr. W. had enlarged notions, respecting the object and conduct of the war, we know very well; and, had his ability been commensurate with his wishes, all the happy consequences, bere stated, would unquestionably have flown from them. But we much fear, that those notions, it fairly analyzed, and submitted to the test of their applicability to existing circumstances, would have been found more magnanimous in theory than practicable in execution. To that gentleman, however, the palm of wisdom, as well as that of magnanimity, is due, for his just and manly sentiments respecting the degrading treaty of Amiens, in which a weak Minister, the variest baby in politics that ever amused itself with the coral of the State, surrendered the honour and security of his country, the independence of Europe, and the lives and property of some of our best friends and firmest allies, (the Royalists in La Vendée) to the most inveterate enemy which this and other nations ever had to encounter, and to the most merciless Usurper that ever bathed himself in the blood of his slaves, or that ever tyrannized over any portion of mankind. It remains to be seen, whether this palm, so nobly won, has been suffered to wither on the brow it adorned; or whether those sentiments, which excited our warmest approbation five years ago, still continue unchanged, in circumstances more momentous, more critical, and more dangerous. To judge from present appearances, indeed, from the protracted negotiation at Paris, artfully prolonged by our insiduous enemy to promote his own views, and to frustrate ours, as well as from the selection of our ambassadors to foreign states, we should conclude, either that Mr. Windham found himself in a minority in the Cabinet, or that his sentiments had undergone a total and radical change. But we will not hazard a conjecture on a subject on which the lapse of a short period will suffice to throw the blaze of conviction.

In his "Introduction" the editor informs his readers, that the letters contained in these volumes were communicated to him by the au thor, a nobleman of Brabant, who was employed by the Minister of a Continental Sovereign, to make the tour of Holland, France, and Switzerland, for the purpose of ascertaining the real state of the public mind in those countries. Be this as it may, they convey much interesting information on this subject, and many curious anecdotes connected with the French Revolution. In reading them,, we have been alternately impressed with sentiments of disgust, and with feelings of horror, at the profligacy and atrocities which they record. We shall not attempt to follow this political traveller through the whole of his tour, but merely select such passages as appear to us most worthy

of

of notice, either from the facts which they recite, or from the reflections to which they give birth.

Ile entered the Batavian Republic at Doesburgh, where he found a French garrison, French custom-house officers, and a French Gover nor; part of his luggage was detained, because among it were four pair of French silk stockings which he had purchased at Hamburgh, anel which he had not yet worn. In vain did he produce the receipt and certificate of the manufacturer, to prove that they were French; the custom-house-officers insisted that they were English, and the Governor threatened to imprison him as an English smuggler. In vain, too, did he apply for redress to the Mayor, who was a Dutchman; he acknowledged the injustice, but confessed his want of power to punish or redress it. At length, by his worship's advice, the matter was compromised, by the sacrifice of two pair of the stockings, for the Governor's own use, and of a Louis d'or to the custom-house offioer. Let it not be supposed that this was a stary instance of low villany, of barefaced robbery; if any credit be due to the writer of these letters, it occurred frequently; and indeed such a set of thieves as the public functionaries of the French empire, are not to be found in any other part of the civilized world. Our traveller found the police at Utrecht more vigilant, jealous, and severe, than in the other Dutch cities, though they were certainly sufficiently so in every part of that subjugated country, as well as in France.

Before we entered it (the town) the post-waggon was stopped by some French gensdarmes, who asked for our passports, which were delivered by them to a French police commissary, who had his office near the gate. After his inspection was over, two gensdarmes accompanied the post-waggon and took the name of the inns, where (whither) we or dered the luggage to be carried. Arrived there, the first thing the landlord presented us with, even before I was shewn my room, was a kind of police-register, in which I was to write down from my passport, all the particulars concerning my person, character, figure and business; I was also to mention to whom I was known in the place; how long would be my stay where I had slept the night before; and where I intended to travel from thence. To this humiliating formality, and to this insulting inquisition, Batavian subjects were equally subject with foreigners.”

Such vexatious interruptions would alone suffice to check all spirit of commercial enterprise, if any such subsisted in this ruined and desolated country. We should feel compassion for the Dutch, if pity were due to a people who have added ingratitude to avarice, and cowardice to both; who first expelled and proscribed that family to whose ancestors they were indebted for their freedom; and afterwards had not courage to defend themselves from oppression, but tamely bowed their necks to the most intolerable, and at the same time, the most disgraceful yoke that ever was imposed on a people. As they sowed the seeds of their own misery and dishonour, let them rea