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This gentleman, it seems, is a prophet. Reader, do not imagine we are joking: we have Mr. Allen Crosby's folemn word for it. This chosen vessel,' quoth he, ' I can with

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humble CONFIDENCE say, I believe to be myself; for this * work the Lord hath been preparing me fome years. This ' is not the first piece of the prophetic kind that I have pub' lished; my pamphlet which hath been exposed to public • view ever since July last, maintains nothing contrary, but • rather perfectly agreeing with the public transactions, which ⚫ have been done in these and the neighbouring kingdoms • fince the publication thereof, and the rett is in as fair a way as can be for its fulfilling, according to the present view of ⚫ things.'-This other piece of prophecy is a little thing entitled, The furprizing Yorkshire prophecy farther opened, &c. The chief intention of which, as well as of the Earnest Expofition, appears to be the strengthening the methodist-party, by preffing not only Mother Shipton, and Nixon, the Cheshire prophet, but even St. John himself into their service. Indeed, Mr. Crosby, whom we do not look upon as a f-, may be right enough in some things, for it feems probable, that the Yorkshire matron had this very Expofitor himself, and fome other such chofen vessels in view, when she says,

The fox shall ride the goose, the goose the ass.

XVIII. Confiderations on the Theory of Religion. In three parts. To which are added, two discourses; the former on the life and character of Christ; the latter, on the benefit procured for us by his death. With an appendix, concerning the use of the word foul in holy scripture, and the state of death there described. By Edmund Law, D. D. Archdeacon of Carlisle, and Mafter of St. Peter's college, in Cambridge. 8vo. 6s. Davis.

Besides a large dedication to the Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry, (who was formerly a pupil to our author) and a preface, mostly new, this edition contains many notes and observations, chiefly made on authors that have appeared fince the first impression in 1745, in order to a more complete illuftration of the plan of Divine Providence, as to the several revelations given in times past to mankind, and a vindication of such articles and passages in the Bible, as have been mifrepresented by modern infidels, and antifcripturills. These obfervations are reduced to a small compass; and to fupply what may be neceffary to a more comprehensive view of each point, all fuch writers are particularly referred to, as have treated it in the best and clearest manner: and, upon examining the whole, tho' some few things may be objected to, we can affure the reader, that we have met with no book of this kind, which, in so little room, contains a greater variety of useful fentiments, delivered in the most candid manner, yet with due freedom,

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and strict impartiality. And we imagine, that a careful perufal of it will prove of general benefit, especially to the younger students in divinity, by not only helping to open their minds, and put them on a true freedom of enquiry, and setting them right on so many fubjects, as are here discussed professedly; but also by furnishing them with proper hints, how to proceed farther in the same spirit, and supplying them with a competent ftore of materials, for carrying on the like laudable enquiries with success and fatisfaction. But let us fee what the learned, judicious, and ingenious author himself says of it, Preface, p. 10. 'The notes are chiefly calculated for a common⚫ place, or index, to direct the industrious reader to such au**thors, more especially among ng the moderns, as might furnish • him with as just and proper observations on each head, as I • could think myself capable of producing, what character so

ever some of them may bear among the learned. And in' deed, provided the notions were but good and seasonable, • I have not been very folicitous under whose name, or in • what place and manner they appeared. It must be confessed, that even some of the lowest class sometimes have several ' useful things, not elsewhere to be met with, tho' few would think it worth their while to seek there for them, which tends • (according to the observation of an eminent writer *) to shew • the benefit of general reading: neither would it be quite fair

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to borrow any thing from such without a due acknowlegement; nor can we be understood to answer for any of them • farther than the point reaches for which they were exprefly 'cited, or referred to. Where any thing seemed necessary to ⚫ be added or supplied, it will be found either introducing these, or intermixed among them, as occafion offered: and in pur'suance of this humble plan, the inserting all new writers as they came forth, or fell in my way fince the first impreffion, • must occafion most of those alterations and additions that have • hitherto been made, but which will hardly be continued.'

The discourse upon the life and character of Chrift, or, as the author terms it, a few loose traites, or general reflections on that inexhaustible subject, is also enriched with new observations, both in the text and notes, as well of a speculative as practical nature.

The second difcourse, which is now first published, is in the same taste, and serves to introduce a long neglected scripturedoctrine, of no small consequence to the credit and defign of Chriftianity, which is farther opened in the Appendix; but the full discussion of it is, we understand, reserved till the sentiments of the public may appear on what has been already intimated. To the whole is now added, a large Index, which was very necessary in such a multiplicity of matter, and so great a multitude of authors as are cited upon several occafions.

* Now to Pope's Essay on Criticism, v. 267.

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the art of, not

generally understood,

What it is, 4.

1.

ACTOR, necessary qualifications of, 4. feq. AFFECTIONS, natural, obedience to, hurtful to society, 168171.

AGARIC, experiments on, 419. 430. Its species determined, ibid.

AGE, the learned one of Augustus, fadly corrupted in matters of religion, 414.

AGES, paft, horrors of, eulogi. um on the prefent, 91. ALLIANCE, between church and state, analysis of, 120-124. A whimfical performance, 124. ALTERCATION, personal, unbecoming men of learning, 307.

AMERICANS, the aboriginal, character of, 275. Chriftianity not like to have any good footing among them, and why, ib. Medicines, 276. ANACREON, his numbers, for what subjects seemingly improper, 452.

ANATOMY, much studied in England, and the advantages arifing therefrom, 359. ANGLES, an instrument for meafuring small ones, 327. ANIMALS, an enquiry into the right which mankind have to the use of them, 162-165. ANNUITY for life, secured by land, how investigated, 323. APOCRYPHAL books, composed in the early days of Chriftianity, not much used by the primitive Chriftians, 442. Do not overthrow, but confirm the evangelical history, ibid. VOL. XIII.

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BALAAM history of, extraordinary in all its parts, 408. Explained and vindicated, ib. A solution of the difficulties concerning the ass propofed, 410-414.

BAPTISM, that of the Holy Ghost, and of fire, not the true Chriftian baptifm, 479 BELEMNITES, a new hypothefis of, 429. BENEVOLENCE, the disposition which gains the highest approbarion, 103.

BENLOW, Mrs. her history, 135. BERITH, the Hutchinfonians not agreed about the radical sense of, 291. BILNEY, Thomas, converts Mr. Latimer from popery, 22. His good life, 24.

BOLINGBROKE, his groundless reflections on the scripture, and St. Paul, refuted, 233. 234. ВоотH, Mr. his excellences as an actor, 7. BOURN, Samuel, his birth, cha

racter, and death, 112---115.

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CANADA, from whence it takes the name, 263. When, and by whom, discovered, ib. feq. lts trade, 269. Navigation, 270. Division of, 271,

CANTON, John, his electrical experiments, 248.

CATECHISING, an indispensible duty in a paftor, 192. As no. ceffary as preaching, ib.

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CHAMPCHEVRIER, a French
prisoner, secretly employed by
Henry VI. to negotiate his
marriage with Margaret of
Anjou, 435, feq.

CHARITY, St. Paul's account
of it defended against Bayle,
404---408. In what sense it
covers a multitude of fins, 486,
feq.

CHRIST, character of, 12. Di-
vinity of, proved from St.
John, 16. In what sense to be
confidered as a facrifice, 180.
CHRISTIANITY, founded on
facts of which every one is ca-
pable to form a judgment, 9.
Many of its evidences acknow-
leged by its enemies, 185. The
hiftory of, necessary to be stu-
died, 187. Not likely to make
: any great progress among the
American-Indians, 275.
CHRONOLOGY, reasons for ad-
hering to Sir Isaac Newton's
system of, 183.

CICERO, a vindication of, from
Bolingbroke's cenfures, 151.
CIRCLE, theorems relating to,
328.

CLAIRAUT, his observations on
Melvil's notions of the refran-
gibility of the rays of light,

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DEITY, rules to be observed, in
order to form proper notions
of, 445. Incapable of endow-
ing matter with a power of
thinking. 450.

DELUGE, universal, the time of
the year when it happened,
430.

DESIRES, immoderate, causes of,
106.

DIVINITY, directions for the
study of, 189, feq.
DIVORCES, permitted both by
the Greek and Roman legisla-
tors, on very flight pretences,
317.

DODSON, his method of investi-
gating an annuity, 323.
DOLLAND, John, his inftrument
for measuring small angles,
327-.
DOUGLASS, the pedigree of that
family traced for upwards of
three thousand years, 159.

E

EARTH, pole of, shewn to have
five motions, 321.
EARTHQUAKE at York, in 1755.
some account of, 327.
EDEN, garden of, what meant
by keeping it, 365. Adom's
expulfion out of it an act of
kindness, 366-368.
ELECTRICITY, its effects ab-
served in 1601, 323.
ELLIS, his description of two
curious fpecies of Maltese co-

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-, the Chriftian, want of
esteem for them, owing to ig-
norance of their writings, 187.
FLUENTS, theorems for comput-
ing, 380.

FREEDOM, necessary in enquiries
after truth, 360.

FREEMAN, Mr. his bequest to
Clare-ball, in Gambridge, 462.
FROST, remarkable effects of,
324. feq. Observations on,
329, 326.

FRUITS, how to gather and pre-
ferve, 344-347-

FRUIT-TREES, directions for the
choice of, 336, seq. For pru-
ning, 337-342. How to pre-
vent the ill effects of frosts on,
343-

G

GATHELUS, fon of Cecrops, faid
to be the founder of the Sco-
tish nation, 159. His hiftoty,
ib. 160. One of his fons gave
the name of Hibernia to Tre-
land, 160.

GOLD-MAKING, the vanity of
such a purfuit, 388.
GORDON, Alexander, (author of
the hiftory of Peter the Great)
acts as Lieutenant-General un-
der the Earl of Mar, in the re-

bellion of 1715, but escapes &

being attainted by a misnomer
in the act, 348, 349.
GOVERNMENT, picture of the
republican, from Voltaire, 286.

H

HALLY, Dr. use of his chart of
variation, 433-
HANMER, Mr. account of, 219.
HAPPINESS, wherein that of man
confifts, 448.

HARCOURT, Mrs. account of,
218.

HEBREWS, the noble sentiments
contained in the epistle to them,
225. The different opinions
of the antients, concerning the
true author of it, 226. Moft
probably St. Paul, ib. The
time when it was wrote, 227.
The citations in it from the
Pfalms confidered, zz8. The
perfons to whom it was writ-
ten, 230.
HERCULANEUM, discoveries at,
431, feq.
HISTORIANS, mutually support
each other, 183.
HISTORY, Roman, early part of,
little to be trufted to, 391.
HODGES, Dr. of Oriel-college,
Oxon, his works contemptu-
oufly mentioned by the author
of Memoirs of several Ladies,
221, feq. the note.
HOLBERG, Baron, account of
his writings, 183, feq.
HOLLY, different texes of, 420.
HOMER and Hefiod, the ages of,
attempted to be afcertained,
322.

HONOUR, sense of, appears very
early in life, 105.
HOSPITALITY, English, somere-
flections on, 46. Why more or
less of it in different nations, b.

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