the religious world, from the birth of Christ to the present day. Tcgether with an accurate statement of the most remarkable transactions and events recorded in ecclesiastical history. By Charles Buck. This work is in the press. Thomas Dobson proposes to publish by subscription an Elegant Edition of the New Testament, very large print, with those very full marginal references, known by the name of Canne's notes. W. W. Woodward intends publishing in ten handsome quarto volumes "Dr. Gill's Exposition on the whole of the Old and New Testaments, critical, doctrinal, and practical. In which are recorded the original of mankind, of the several nations of the world, and of the Jewish nation in particular: The lives of the Patriarchs of Israel; the journey of that people from Egypt through the wilderness to the land of Canaan, and their settlement in that land; their laws, moral, ceremonial, and judicial; their government and state under judges and kings; their several captivities, and their sacred books of devotion; with a copious exposition on the books of the prophets, shewing that they chiefly belong to gospel times, and a great number of them to times yet to come; and a dissertation on the several apocryphal writings. Containing a correct copy of the sacred text; an account of the several books, and the writers of them; a summary of each chapter; and the genuine sense of every verse; and throughout the whole, the origin. al text, and the versions of it are inspected and compared; interpreters of the best note, both Jewish and Christian, consulted: difficult places at large explained; seeming contradictions reconciled, and various passages illustrated and confirmed by testimonies of writers, as well Gentile as Jew. The European edition is nearly out of print, and cannot be imported and sold in America under two hundred dollars. An American edition, much superior, can be printed by subscription for sixty dollars. B. B. Hopkins & co. Philadelphia, propose publishing by subscription, Dr. Campbell's Lectures on Church History, in connexion with his celebrated Essay on Miracles. A Dissertation on the Prophecies, that have been fulfilled, are now fulfilling, or will hereafter be fulfilled, relative to the great period of 1260 years; the Papal and Mohammedan Apostasies; the tyrannical Reign of Antichrist, or the infidel Power; and the Restoration of the Jews. By the Rev. George Stanley Faber, D.D.Vicar of Stockton-Upon-Tees. Boston. Andrews & Cummings, and L. Blake. Proposals are issuing for publishing Lewis and Clark's tour to the Pacific ocean, through the interior of the continent of North America, performed by order of the Government of the United States, during the years 1804, 1805, and 1806. The work will be prepared by Capt. Meriwether Lewis, and comprised in three volumes octavo, embellished with a great many maps and illustrative plates. Detached from this work, will be published Lewis and Clark's map of North America, from longitude 9 deg. west, to the Pacific Ocean, and between 36 deg. and 52 deg. north lat. with extensive marginal notes. The Life of Washington, by Dr. Ramsay, is ready for and will shortly be put to the press. Several gentlemen, who have seen the manuscript, do not hesitate to pronounce it, what would naturally be expected from the author and the subject, a work of the most classic elegance. It will be comprised in one volume octavo, and printed in an elegant manner. An English Poet, of the name of Northmore, has been a considerable time engaged in writing an epic poem, to be completed in ten books, entitled Washington, or Liberty restored. The basis of the work, exclusive of the imagery, will rest solely on historic truth. Proposals have lately been offered by Mr. Pelham, a Bookseller of Boston, for publishing, by subscription, a new system of notation, by which the variable sounds of the vowels and consonants in the English Alphabet may be accurately distinguished. This is proposed to be effected by printing a new edition of Dr. Johnson's wellknown novel, entitled Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, on the following princi ples:-1st. By means of a variety of marks placed over the same vowel or diphthong, in different words, to ascertain its sound in every variation. 2d. By marks attached to such consonants as are subject to variation, to point out their difference of sound. 3d. Each diphthongal or vowel mark to denote one invariable sound. 4th. The marks applied to consonants to vary sufficiently for the purpose of discrimination, and still subject to general rules. 5th. Very slight additions to be made to the characters, so as to retain the general appearance of each letter. 6th. Every ward to be correctly spelled, there being no necessity for false spelling to convey an idea of pronunciation. The distinct sound denoted by each mark, being committed to memory, the learner can never be perplexed on finding the same vowel or diphthong employed to express different sounds because whatever the vowel or diphthong may be, the sound denoted by the mark above it remains invariable. A specimen of the work may be seen at the Publisher's, No. 59, Cornhill. Obituary. DIED, at Brunswick, (Me.) July, 1807, Rev. JOSEPH M'KEAN, D. D. President of Bowdoin College in that place. [Character of this excellent man, in a future No. of the Panoplist.] At Newark, N. J. Rev. ALEXANDER M'WHORTER, D. D. Æt. 73 years, senior Pastor of the Presbyterian church in that place. He lived a life of eminent usefulness, and has died greatly and justly lamented. At the city of Washington, July 19th, Hon. URIAH TRACY, Esq. of Litchfield, Connecticut, a Senator of that state in the Congress of the United States. At Marcellus, N. Y. March 24th, Mrs. DIANA ATWATER, Consort of the Rev. Caleb Atwater. In her dying moments she was animated with the Christian's hope, and with her faltering voice sung the following verse and expired : "Jesus, to thy dear, faithful hand On Tuesday last, Mrs. Abigal In France, General de Rochambeau, aged 82. : TO CORRESPONDENTS. THE review of Dr. Holmes' Anniversary Discourse at Plymouth was refeived too late for this month. It shall appear in our next. It was our intention to have attended early to this valuable production, the design of which is in perfect unison with that of the Panoplist, and in which so much justice is done to the characters and principles of the Fathers of New England. But from various causes, which it is unnecessary here to enumerate, it has been delayed to the present time. We thank Eusebius for his six letters to his son on a seasonable subject. We shall insert them with pleasure in our future numbers. Another interesting communication from PASTOR is just received, which, with several others from different correspondents, shail enrich our next number. Our It is our wish to give all our readers their portion in due season. friends, who are concerned for the literary character of our country, will read, with interest, Mr. Webster's communication; while those, who give a preference to serious and evangelical subjects, will find something to gratify their taste and wishes. The request of B. T. shall be attended to. OR, THE CHRISTIAN'S ARMORY. No. 27.] AUGUST, 1807. [No. 3. VOL. III. Biography. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE REV. SAMUEL WILLARD, PASTOR OF THE SOUTH CHURCH IN BOSTON, AND VICE-PRESIDENT OF HARVARD COLLEGE. Mr. WILLARD descended from a very respectable family. His father sustained some of the highest offices, civil and military. But it was justly considered his chief honour to be the father of a son, who was an ornament and blessing to the church and world; one in whom was concentered a rare assemblage of excellencies, natural and acquired, moral and spiritual. His intellectual powers were confessedly of a superior order. In perception, he was rapid, yet correct; in thought, equally profound and clear. His imagination was rich, but not luxuriant; active and ardent, but has bitually under the restraints of a solid judgment. His argumen tative powers were unusually strong. His improvements were not inferior to his capacities. By intense application of mind, and familiar converse with the best authors, he soon became a scholar. He took an extensive range in the field of science; but pass Vol. II. No. 3. N ing, with a rapid glance, objects of mere amusement, or ostentation, he consecrated all the ardour of his mind to things substantial and useful. His re searches after truth were equally assiduous, humble and independ ent. By abundant reading, his mind was richly stored with ideas: he accurately studied their relations and dependencies, and well knew how to unite or separate them, so as to increase his stock of real knowledge. To all his eminent talents, was superadded a remarkable and unaffected modesty, which was not merely the companion of his youth, but continued with him to the last. Yet the veil, which he thus threw over his various accomplishments, while to the vulgar eye it diminished their splendour, appeared to the discriminating and judicious, their best ornament. His favourite object was divinity. Prompted to this sublime study, equally by inclination and a sense of duty, he made such acquisitions, as might naturally have been expected from uncommon genius and diligence, sanctified by prayer. He was familiar with the most abstruse In these he parts of theology. principally excelled. He was mighty in the scriptures, as appeared from his common discourses; and especially from several commentaries which he left, unpublished, on the Psalms, and on the Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians and Galatians. His acquaintance with systematic divinity was generally known and celebrated. Of the treasures of this kind, which he had amassed with so much care, he was generously communicative, especially to the people of his charge. In his attempts to maintain the doctrines of the gospel in their genuine purity, he was zealous and indefatigable. These doctrines he not only stated with great plainness and precision, and confirmed by incontestible arguments, but enforced, with great energy, on the conscience and heart. یا Nor was he more eminent in gifts than in grace. All his tal ents, all his acquisitions in science, were piously devoted to the glory of God, and the best interests of man. All the pure, humble and lovely virtues of Christianity dwelt in his bosom, and shone forth in his life. His soul was evidently moulded into the temper of the gospel. It was a temple, consecrated to the worship of the living God, and to the residence of the Holy Spirit. Under the influence of this divine Spirit, he was early brought to the knowledge of himself, as an apostate creature ; depraved, guilty and helpless. He was likewise led into believing views of the glory and grace of Emmanuel, as the only hope of a sinner; the Author and HenceFinisher of salvation. forward, sin was his great burden and grief. Nor did he ever cease to lament his inward corruption, nor to sigh after deliverance from it, to the latest hour of life. Meditation on divine things was his habitual employment and delight. What fervour and enlargement he attained in this holy and instructive exercise, may be learned from those excellent sacramental meditations which were published after his death, and which are thought to have been written for his own particular use. His daily walk was that of one who felt a lively impression of invisible and eternal realities. When speaking or hearing of the wonders of divine Uniting to a dispassionate mind, a warm heart; and to a clear discernment of truth, an inflexible adherence to its distinguish ing principles, Mr. Willard shone as a controversial writer. As became one set for the defence of the gospel, he vigorously opposed the errors of the time, however imposing and triumphant the attitude they assumed. With equal energy and skill, he wielded the sword of the Spirit, to the confusion of gainsayers, and sometimes to their convic-grace in redemption, he was not tion, as well as to the establishment and comfort of the friends of truth. unfrequently transported with admiration, gratitude and love. In contemplation of the glorious sovereignty of Jehovah, in the kingdoms of grace and providence, his soul was filled with profoundest humility and reverence. In defending the cause of Christ and his truth, he exhibit ed a zeal truly primitive and apostolic; a zeal enlightened, meek and affectionate; a zeal directed and restrained by Christian prudence. Courageous and inflexible in discharging his duties as a Christian, and a minister, he neither forgot the rights, nor intruded into the province of others. He was a man of a genuinely quiet spirit. Such was his value for peace, that he could sacrifice every thing but truth and duty, for its preservation. He was a bright example of self denial, of abstraction from the world, of patience under the reproaches of men, and of resignation to the correcting rod of his heavenly Father. In the darkest seasons of distress, he meekly bowed to the righteous sovereignty of the unerring Disposer. Nor did he think it enough, amid scenes like these, not to complain. He maintained a cheerful spirit. Perceiving by the eye of faith, the excellence, glory, and grace of Jehovah's government, beaming through the darkness which surrounded his throne, he rejoiced in the Lord, and triumphed in the God of his salvation. all wise Being, who, from the first, designed him for extensive usefulness, and richly furnished him for it, prepared him a suitable sphere. The aspects of Prov idence seemed plainly to indicate his removal; and being fixed in the South Church in Boston, he became a great blessing, not only to his own congregation, and to the town, but to all New England. : His public discourses were uniformly elaborate, judicious and instructive. It is said that his common sermons were such as might have been pronounced with applause before an assembly of divines. The subjects which he discussed were various, well selected, and with much care and judgment adapted to the state and circumstances of his flock. He inculcated, not a system of mere natural religion, not the refinements of metaphysics, but the plain, peculiar, unadulterat ed doctrines of the gospel. On this foundation, he erected the whole fabric of practical religion. He made it appear that the doctrines of grace were not mere speculations, but so many powerful persuasives to love, to gratitude, to devotion, to all holiness of heart and life. And with the utmost vigilance and assiduity did he labour to guard them against that licentiousness to which they were sometimes perverted. His addresses were pe culiarly pungent and powerful; calculated at once to solemnize, to humble, and win the hearer. His style was such as became the pulpit; simple, with dignity; and masculine, with ease. In his manner of delivery, there was always a seriousness and gravity which commanded attention; |