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volumes, they do not arife from any imperfection in the mode of conveying their ideas, occafioned by this local or nominal barbarity of ftyle; but either from the fublime or obfcure nature of the things conveyed to the Reader by words; or from the purposed concifeness of the Writer; who, in the occafional mention of any matter unrelated, or not effential to, the Difpenfation, always affects a ftudied brevity.

"But further, Suppofe that, in fome cafes, an authentic Scripture, defigned for a religious rule, demanded this quality of local eloquence; (for that, in general, it is not required I have fully fhewn above) let this, I fay, be fuppofed, yet ftill it would not affect the cafe in hand, fince it would be altogether unfuitable to the peculiar genius of the GOSPEL. It might eafily be known to have been the purpose of Providence, (tho' fuch purpose had not been expressly declared) that the Gofpel fhould bear all the fubftantial marks of it's divine Original; as well in the circumftances of it's promulgation, as in the course of it's progrefs. To this end, the appointed Minifters of it's conveyance were perfons, mean and illiterate, and chofen from amongst the lowest of the people that when Sceptics and Unbelievers faw the World converted by the foolishness of preaching, as the learned Apostle, in great humility, thinks fit to call it, they might have no pretence to afcribe the fuccefs, to the parts, the ftation, or the authority of the preachers. Now had the language, infufed into thefe illiterate men, been the fublime of Plato, or the eloquence of Tully, Providence would have appeared to counteract it's own meafures, and defeat the purpose beft calculated to advance it's glory. But God is wife, tho' man's a fool. And the courfe of his wisdom was here, as every where elfe, uniform and conftant. It not only chofe the weakest Minifters of his Will, but kept out of their hands that powerful weapon of contorted words, which their Adverfaries might fo eafily have wrefted to the difhonour of the Gofpel. So much was Dr. Middleton miftaken, when befides clearness, (which he might be allowed to expect) he fuppofes purity, nobleness, and pathetic affection to be qualities infeparable from an infpired writing, St. Paul who, amongst thefe fimple Inftruments, was, for the fame wife purposes, made an exception to the general choice, yet induftriously profecuted that fublime view, for the fake of which, the choice was made; by rejecting all other weapons but thofe of the Spirit, to spread abroad the Conquefts of the

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Son of God. My Speech (fays he) and my preaching was not with inticing words of man's wifdom, but in the demonftration of the Spirit and of Power. As much as to fay," My fuccefs was not owing to the fophiftical eloquence of Rhetoricians, but to the fupernatural powers, with which I was endowed, of interpreting Prophecies and working Miracles." He fubjoins the reason of his use of these means that their faith fhould not fand in the Wisdom of men, but in the power of God. i. e. Be converted not by force of Philofophy and eloquence, but of the fupernatural gifts of the Spirit: There fore (faith he again) God hath chafen the foolish things of the World to confound the wife; and the weak things of the World to confound the mighty. And left it fhould be faid, that this was an affectation of defpifing advantages which they themfelves could not reach, it pleased Providence that this decla ration fhould be made, not by one of the more fordid and idiotic of the number; but by Him, to whom both nature and difcipline had given powers to equal even the heights of Greek and Roman elocution. For we fee, by what now and then accidentally flames out în the fervor of his reafoning, that he had a strong and clear difcernment, a quick and lively ima gination, and an extenfive and intimate acquaintance with thofe Mafters in moral painting, the Greek Sophifts and Phi lofophers all which he proudly facrificed to the glory of the everlasting Gofpel. Nor does he appear to have been conscious of any inconfiftency between an infpired language and it's local barbarity of Style: For having had occafion, in this very Epiftle, to remind the Corinthians of the abundance of fpi ritual grace beftowed upon him, he fays, I thank my God, I Speak with tongues more than you all; and yet he tells them that. he is rude in fpeech. Which apparent inconfiftency the Reader may accept, if he pleafes, for a further proof of the truth of what has been above delivered, concerning the na tural condition of an inspired language."

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The learned Prelate clofes this firft part of his difcourfe with a fhort examination of what the noble Author of the CHARACTERISTICS has advanced in difcredit of the infpi ration of holy Scripture.

[To be concluded in our next.]

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Art. 1. Reflections on the domeftic Policy proper to be obferved an the Conclufion of a Peace. 8vo. Is. 6d. Millar.

THE

HE contents of this fenfible pamphlet, are too various and diffufive for abridgment, within the limits of a Cata, logue article; and therefore we can only obferve, in few words, that the chief defign of the Writer, is to recommend a fuitable provifion for the Soldiers, Sailors, &c, who will be discharged on the ratification of Peace. For this purpose, he proposes to settle the men fo discharged, whom he calculates to amount to forty thoufand, in twenty establishments of two thousand men each, in different parts of Britain, upon lakes or navigable rivers, or places adjoining to the fea, each man having an house and an acre of land affigned him, free from taxes for ten years, and to be upon the Chelsea Out-pension for the firit year after the forming of the establishment: and he fhews, that upon a reasonable calculation, the whole charge of the supposed fettlements, would not amount to more than two-thirds of the expences of the Colony of Nova Scotia. He does not propose, however, that the Settlers fhould draw all their fubfiftence from the ground, or from the bounty of the Government; but that they hould derive it in part from their application to fome trade or handicraft. The Writer likewife makes many judicious reflections with regard to Trade, Population, and the Poor of this Country: and allo with respect to the Revenues of the kingdom. In fhort, though we make no doubt but that many who have been nurfed in prepof feffion, and wedded to prejudice, will cenfure our Author as a vifionary Projector, yet we are fatisfied that his propofals merit the molt ferious attention; and though it may not be expedient to exe-cute them in every refpect, yet they may ferve as an excellent ground work, to frame a fyftem of domeftic improvement and national profperity.

Art. 2. An Examination of the Commercial Principles of the late Negociation between Great Britain and France in 1761. In which the Syftem of that Negociation, with regard to our Colonies and Commerce, are confidered. 8vo. Is. 6d. Dodsley.

This pamphlet, confidered merely as a matter of compofition, has undoubted merit, being penned in a fpirited and masterly ftyle. But with refpect to the true fate of the queftion, it is by no means candid and fatisfactory. The Writer takes unwearied pains to prove, what we believe few will venture to difpute, that the returns from Guadaloupe far exceed the produce from Canada. But he hurries

over the argument, with regard to the value of the latter in point of future fecurity. And what he advances on this head, is rather fpecious than folid. He has, with great addrefs, availed himself of fome inaccuracies and inconfiftencies in the writings of the Advocates for the North-American Colonies; but he offers nothing fatisfactory to fhew that Canada is not effential to fecure us from the Savages, and to prevent another war in thofe parts: on the contrary, he feems to admit the plea of danger, and only argues in extenuation of the degree. Our Readers, we are perfuaded, will excuse our entering more minutely into this fubject, as the point is now probably decided by the Preliminaries lately figned: and the Government have been fo thoroughly apprised of the merits of the question, that there is reafon to conclude, they have judged for the best.

Art. 3. A Letter to the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; on the prefent Negociations for a Peace with France and Spain. 8vo. Is. 6d. Coote.

There is a fpirit in this pamphlet which borders too nearly on petulance; nevertheless, the reflections are in general juft, though not always perfectly decent. The Writer, with good reafon, inveighs against the rage of conqueft; endeavours to fhew, that our acquifitions have been purchased too dear; and that the difference between the fuppofed terms of the expected treaty and thofe of Mr. Pitt's negociation, are quite inconfiderable, when put in ballance with the benefits of peace.

Art. 4. A Prophefy of Merlin. 8vo. 6d. Nicoll.

Those who are very fond of political fcandal, may poffibly think this ftrange reiteration of ftale fcurrility, a mighty meritorious performance: yet we can difcern nothing in it but rancour, mifreprefentation, and bad language. The quintefcence of all the hackney'd abuse, so plentifully thrown upon Mr. Pitt for fome years paft, is here collected; together with other noxious and filthy matter, enough to infect the minds of half the underling Politicians in the City; who generally frame their opinions on what they spell and put together in the Gazetteer, and in the vastly clever pamphlets fet forth by the Sh- -'s, the C- -'s, and the B- -'s of the age.

Art. 5. A Letter to the Right Hon. the Earl of H-x, concerning a Parliamentary Peace. 8vo. 1 s. A. Henderson. We find abundance of great naries, and great things too, in this Epifle: Grotius and Puffendorf, and Guftavus Adolphus, and Magna Charta, and the Havanna, and Oliver Cromwel, and Admiral Pococke, and Canada, and the King of Pruffia, and Attakullakulla the little Carpenter, and the Alehoufe-keepers, and the House of Commons, and the Spaniards, and the Scotch, and the Duke de Nivernois tavern-bill, and Churchill the Poet, and the Lord Mayor's feaft, REV. Nov. 1762. wian

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with a thousand more notable things; all highly meriting the noble Lord's most ferious confideration, although many of them feem to have very little connection with either the peace or the parliament. And as great men, like great Wits, may have fhort memories, how happy is it for the public, that there is fuch a watchful Argus as the very profound Politician now before us, to remind our Statefmen of their duty.

Art. 6. 4 Speech without Doors, by a Lobby-Member. 4to. 6d. Williams.

Attacks Pitt, defends Bute, and recommends the Peace. The writing is not the meanest.

Art. 7. Political Confiderations, being a few Thoughts ef a candid Man, on the prefent Crifis. In a Letter to a noble Lord retired from Power. 8vo. 1s. 6d. J. Hinxman.

Though there is a great deal of what the French call verbiage in this pamphlet, yet it contains many obfervations which speak the language of good fenfe and moderation. The Writer is one of those who bow the knee to the rifing Sun, and would perfuade all others to fall down before the glaring idol of his adoration; but abftracted from this idolatry, his principles are juft, and his manner of writing decent and plaufible. He ftrongly recommends unanimity; and exhorts the noble Lord to whom he addreffes his Letter, to concur in ftrengthening the hands of the prefent Ministry. Whether this zeal proceeds from principle or intereft, his own heart only can determine. As to his profeffious, they are in the usual strain of minifterial Advocates; and he has only repeated what has been said by his predeceffors, in terms more fpirited and ftriking., We, who are ufed to the temper and tendency of fuch writings, can partly anticipate what will be offered by the contending Parties on each fide; and we could wish, the public would be perfuaded that it is of very little confequence to them, who prefides at the Treafury, though it may be of great importance to the Candidates for places and penfions. All contelts of this nature, are more about perfons than things: and unhappily the herd of mankind who cannot judge of the latter, are easily cajoled or irritated by the influence of the former.

Art. 8. A Letter to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the Wor"Shipful Aldermen, and Common-Council, the Merchants, Citizens, and Inhabitants of the City of London. From an old Servant*. 8vo. Is. 6d. Owen.

In

It is not many years fince this old Servant, difgufted with his ftation, gave warning, and quitted his fervice in a pet. taking a formal leave alfo of the refpectable family he now addreffes, he did little better than tell them, he thought there was hardly an honelt man among them. After fuch a parting, it was to be prefumed

Mr. Heathcote, formerly an Alderman of London.

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