This gentleman, it feems, is a prophet. Reader, do not imagine we are joking: we have Mr. Allen Crosby's folemn word for it. This chofen veffel,' quoth he, I can with humble CONFIDENCE fay, I believe to be myfelf; for this work the Lord hath been preparing me fome years. This is not the first piece of the prophetic kind that I have publifhed; my pamphlet which hath been expofed to public view ever fince July laft, maintains nothing contrary, but rather perfectly agreeing with the public tranfactions, which have been done in thefe and the neighbouring kingdoms. fince the publication thereof, and the rest is in as fair a way as can be for its fulfilling, according to the prefent 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 ftrengthening the method ift-party, by preffing not only Mother Shipton, and Nixon, the Cheshire prophet, but even St. John himself into their fervice. Indeed, Mr. Crosby, whom we do not look upon as a f, may be right enough in fome things; for it feems probable, that the Yorkshire matron had this very Expofitor himself, and fome other fuch chofen vessels in view, when she says,

The fox fhall ride the goofe, the goose the ass.

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

Befides a large dedication to the Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry, (who was formerly a pupil to our author) and a preface, moftly new, this edition contains many notes and obfervations, chiefly made on authors that have appeared fince the first impreffion in 1745, in order to a more complete illuftration of the plan of Divine Providence, as to the ieveral revelations given in times paft to mankind, and a vindication of fuch articles and paffages in the Bible, as have been mifreprefented by modern infidels, and antifcripturifts. Thefe obfervations are reduced to a small compafs; and to fupply what may be neceffary to a more comprehenfive view of each point, all fuch writers are particularly referred to, as have treated it in the best and cleareft manner: and, upon examining the whole, tho' fome few things may be objected to, we can affure the reader, that we have met with no book of this kind, which, in fo little room, contains a greater variety of useful fentiments. delivered in the most candid manner, yet with due freedom,

and

and ftrict impartiality. And we imagine, that a careful perufal of it will prove of general benefit, especially to the younger ftudents in divinity, by not only helping to open their minds, and put them on a true freedom of enquiry, and fetting them right on fo many fubjects, as are here difcuffed profeffedly; but also by furnishing them with proper hints, how to proceed farther in the fame fpirit, and fupplying them with a competent ftore of materials, for carrying on the like laudable enquiries with fuccefs and fatisfaction. But let us fee what the learned, judicious, and ingenious author himself fays of it, Preface, p. 10. The notes are chiefly calculated for a commonplace, or index, to direct the induftrious reader to fuch authors, more efpecially among 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 foever fome of them may bear among the learned. And indeed, provided the notions were but good and feasonable, I have not been very folicitous under whofe name, or in • what place and manner they appeared. It must be confessed, that even fome of the lowest clafs fometimes have several • useful things, not elsewhere to be met with, tho' few would think it worth their while to feek there for them, which tends (according to the observation of an eminent writer *) to fhew the benefit of general reading: neither would it be quite fair to borrow any thing from fuch 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 feemed neceffary to ⚫ be added or fupplied, it will be found either introducing thefe, 'or intermixed among them, as occafion offered: and in purfuance of this humble plan, the inferting all new writers as they came forth, or fell in my way fince the firft impreffion, • muft occafion most of those alterations and additions that have ⚫ hitherto been made, but which will hardly be continued.'

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

The fecond difcourfe, which is now first published, is in the fame tafte, and serves to introduce a long neglected fcripturedoctrine, of no fmall confequence to the credit and defign of Chriftianity, which is farther opened in the Appendix; but the full difcuffion of it is, we understand, referved 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 neceffary in fuch a multiplicity of matter, and fo great a multitude of authors as are cited upon feveral occafions.

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

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

AGE, the learned one of Auguftus, fadly corrupted in matters of religion, 414. AGES, paft, horrors of, eulogi. um on the prefent, 91. ALLIANCE, between church and ftate, analyfis of, 120-124. A whimfical performance, 124. ALTERCATION, perfonal, 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, is numbers, for what fubjects feemingly improper, 452. ANATOMY, much ftudied in England, and the advantages arifing therefrom, 359. ANGLES, an inftrument for meafuring fmall ones, 327. ANIMALS, an enquiry into the right which mankind have to the use of them, 162-165. ANNUITY for life, fecured by

land, how inveftigated, 323. APOCRYPHAL books, compofed in the early days of Chriftianity, not much ufed by the primitive Chriftians, 442. Do not overthrow, but confirm the evangelical history, ibid. VOL. XIII.

Their publication very much owing to the fame of Chrift and his apoftles, 443. APULEIUS, explication of his transformation, 295. ARCHIMEDES'S burning-glafs, how conítructed, 422.

B

BALAAM hiftory of, extraordi
nary in all its parts, 408. Ex-
plained and vindicated, ib. A
folution of the difficulties con-
cerning the afs proposed, 410.-
414.
BAPTISM, that of the Holy

Ghoft, and of fire, not the true Chriftian baptism, 479. BELEMNITES, a new hypothefis of, 429.

BENEVOLENCE, the difpofition
which gains the highest appro-
barion, 103.
BENLOW, Mrs. her hiftory, 135.
BERITH, the Hutchinfonians not

agreed about the radical fenfe
of, 291.
BILNEY, Thomas, converts Ma
Latimer from popery, 22. His
good life, 24.
BOLINGBROKE, his groundless
reflections on the fcripture, and
St. Paul, refuted, 233, 234.
BOOTH, Mr. his excellences as
an actor, 7.
BOURN, Samuel, his birth, cha-
racter, and death, 112---115.

C CANADA, from whence it takes the name, 263. When, and by whom, difcovered, ib. feq. lts trade, 269. Navigation, 270. Divifion of, 271. CANTON, John, his electrical experiments, 248. CATECHISING, an indifpenfible duty in a paftor, 192. As ne ceffary as preaching, ib.

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