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Hunc Diabeta timet, jecoris novus incola; & Hydrops,
Pallidus ore, frequens fpirando, turgidus alvéo;
Et Rabies patiens fitis, indignataque lymphas.
Hunc orant querulæ matres, ad pectora natos
Preffantes, ægri generis farcire ruinas.
Eripis inftanti pavitantem morte puellam,
Deformemque notis urentibus; unde decorem
Amiffum timet & laceri faftidia vultus :
Semianimemque patris revocas in dulcia natum
Ofcula, fuftentafque domum, dubiofque penates,
Immemorem faci me nulla redarguet hora,
Luctantem me febre ferâ, delira loquentem,
Frigida prætentâ rapientem pocula dextrâ ;
Errantes quanto fenfus demulfit amore
Meadus, & O! quantâ lecto defixus inhæfit
Sedulitate meo, falientes impete pulfus
Contingit teneris digitis, ftabilitque ruentem
Colloquio mentem, gratis fimul ille medelis
Sublapfas retrahit vires, animamque fugacem.'

32. The Scripture Doctrine of Grace. By the Rev. John Andrews, LL. B. Vicar of Marden in Kent, and Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of Dorfet. 12mo. Pr. 31. Dilly.

This work was originally written in answer to a treatise on the fame fubject by the bishop of Gloucefter. In this edition. feveral alterations are made, fome new obfervations are added, the quotations from the learned languages are translated, and the whole is fo much improved, that the author hopes, it may now go forth into the world as a general defence of the doctrine of grace, and be read as a practical treatise on that subject.'

Our readers will perceive what fyftem of opinions this author embraces, by the following reprefentation of human nature:

From the fall, as from a fpring, or fountain-head, are derived all the bitter waters of fin, which univerfally poison and corrupt mankind: fo that all the fons of men have it inherent in their very constitution. The evil and poisonous infection of this mortal disease runs through the whole circle of human nature; it extends to every individual, and worketh certain destruction and death. None escape the contagion of fin, which was derived into us from our first parents, and which corrupts and blinds our reafon, depraves our wills, diforders our paffions, infatuates the whole man, and caufes us to rebel against the Almighty, and every moment of our lives to violate his holy and righteous law.'

We

We readily join with our author in his animadverfions on the wickedness of mankind, and the pernicious confequence of fin; but with refpe&t to the conftitution of human nature, and the effects of the fall, we entertain very different ideas. We fee no neceflity for fuppofing, that our reafon is naturally cor rupted, and our wills depraved, because we are guilty of fin: Adam difobeyed, before any infection could poffibly take place. Nothing contributes more to extinguish virtue in the breast of man, than degrading and odious pictures of the fpecies. When men, fays a very fenfible writer, are perfuaded that they are naturally knaves, a noble incentive to virtue is extinguished, that which arifes from a conscioufhefs of their being formed with difpofitions and abilities capable of performing great and laudable actions. Instead of growing better, they tamely grow worfe, and gradually become vicious, merely through a perfuafion that they come into the world under a moral imbecility, and that none can escape the contagion of fin.' Writers who inculcate thefe notions, may pretend felf-abafement; but this is not to abafe ourselves, for our own perfonal tranfgreffions, but to vilify the work of our Creator, from whom alone we derive all the powers and faculties we poffefs.

We shall not detain our readers any longer on this article. We do not apprehend that we should agree with Mr. Andrews in his notions of grace, juftification, and the like; and therefore we shall prudently follow his example, that is, wave the Controversy.'

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33. Reflections on the modern but unchriftian Practice of Inoculation, or Inoculating the Small-pox tried by Scripture Doctrines and Precepts, and proved to be contrary to the revealed Will of God, &c. 8vo. Pr. 6d. Keith.

The reafons which this writer advances against inoculation are fuch as thefe: that the practice was originally introduced by Turks and pagans; that it is repugnant to the whole current of fcripture; that it is an attempt to invade the power and prerogative of God, and fubvert his decrees; that it is an impious diftruft of his providence, and has a natural tendency to fupport the kingdom and interest of Satan, by removing from the minds of men the ferious thoughts of death, and an eternal world. The Chriftian, he fays, who is inoculated for the fmall-pox, acts as a fovereign; he is determined to have it, and have it he will; whether ever God defigned he should, or not, that he does not regard; yea, and he will have it just when he pleases too; he will not wait to fee whether God will

fend

fend it or not: no, no, it is that he is afraid of; he dares not truft God to fend it, left he fhould die of it; he hath fafer means, as he thinks, to make use of, than to truft God with fuch an affair as this. If he doth not speak this in words, his practice speaks it aloud. There is an awful scripture which I would leave to the serious confideration of all such persons; it is ushered in with a Thus faith the Lord,-Curfed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh bis arm, and whofe heart departeth from the Lord.' Jer. xvii. 5.

The reft of this pamphlet is written in the same strain. The author produces a great number of paffages from the scriptures, which, like this quotation from Jeremiah, are nothing to the purpose. We know very well, that it is our duty to put our truft in Divine Providence; but at the fame time we ought to know, that to neglect the proper means of escaping the dangers which furround us, is not faith, but an unwarrantable prefumption.

34. Useful Remarks on some proposed Alterations in our Liturgy. A Word to the Quakers, on their Epifle at the Yearly Meeting, 1769. With a Defence of the Author, and his Book Enthusiasm dete&ted, defeated. By Samuel Roe, M. A. Vicar of Stotfold, in Bedfordshire. 8vo. Pr. 6d. Crowder.

The alterations to which Mr. Roe alludes in his title-page, are contained in a late work, intitled, A New and Correc Edition of the Book of Common Prayer. The principal remark which he has made upon that performance is, that the author falls into enthusiasm, when he directs us to pray for the effufion and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He thinks, that when our Saviour fays, our heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that afk bim, we are to understand the word Spirit in a figurative sense, implying only the effas of the Holy Spirit, or the good things revealed in the gospel. These words occur Luke xi. 13. and for this interpretation he refers us to the parallel paffage in St. Matt. vii. 11.

To thefe Remarks he has fubjoined a letter to the quakers, in which he advifes them to read the fcriptures, to leave off their meetings, to repent, to be baptized, &c. and a defence of his book, intitled, Enthufiafin Detected, against the cenfures of the Monthly Reviewers.

* See Vol. xxvi. p. 281.

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For the Month of March, 1770.

ARTICLE I.

Sermons on feveral Occafions. By Thomas Afhton, D. D. Rector of St. Botolph, Bishopfgate, Fellow of Eton-College, and late Preacher to the honourable Society of Lincoln's-Inn.

Pr. 6s, Whifton.

FEW

8vo.

NEW fermons have been published for fome years paft, which have been worth reading. Many pious and wellmeaning writers have, indeed, produced a confiderable number of good, plain, pra&ical difcourfes; but their works have been of lefs importance to the cause of virtue and religion, than the authors have been willing to fuppofe. We have long fince had a fuperabundant ftore of practical fermons. The writers in this department, from the days of Tillotson to thofe of Sherlock, have, in fo..e measure, exhaufted every fubject; and we have no occafion at prefent for fermons, which have nothing to recommend them befides their piety.

Writers do not fufficiently confider the difference between preaching and publishing. In the former cafe, plain orthodox inftruction may be thought fufficient; and, if delivered with fome degree of dignity and energy, may be received with applaufe. The audience may be compofed of perfons whofe understandings are not adapted to the comprehenfion of learned or ingenious compofitions. But when an author offers his productions to the world, he no longer addreffes himself to the vulgar, but to men of letters, to perfons of reading and tafte, for fuch people are the only purchafers of books; and VOL. XXIX. March, 1770. M

if

if his compofitions are not diftinguished by novelty of fentiment, force of reafoning, or elegance of language, they will foon be thrown afide as ufelefs, and defervedly condemned to oblivion.

The difcourfes which are now before us are upon fubjects which have been repeatedly difcuffed; but we will venture to affert, that they will be read with pleafure by every person of tafte and difcernment. They abound with a great variety of juft, ftriking, and important reflections, conveyed in clear, correct, and nervous language.

The fubject of the firft difcourfe is God's Providence difplayed in the fuppreffion of popular tumults. This was preached in 1746, on the day of thanksgiving for the fuppreffion of the late rebellion..

In the fecond, which was preached at St Paul's before the Sons of the Clergy, in 1753, the author earnestly and pathetically recommends the diftreffed families of gofpel-minifters to the benevolence of the public.

In the third, which was preached before the governors of the Middlefex Hofpital, he obferves, that a propensity to pleasure is an obftacle to charity; firft, as it indifpofes the mind from attending to cafes of compaffion; and fecondly, as it takes away the power of relieving them: or, that a diffipation of thought, which refults from a round of vanity and imaginary joy, takes off our attention from matters of real concern; and the long train of expences, into which it unavoidably hurries us, cuts off our ability of fupplying the natural wants of others, by creating an endless number of chimerical neceffities to ourfelves.

In the fourth, which was preached in purfuance of the will of Mr. John Hutchins, Dr. Ashton endeavours to remove fome objections which have been urged against the established Liturgy.

The fifth and fixth were preached on days appointed for fafting, and humiliation. In the latter, he admirably describes and diftinguishes a formal, and an acceptable faft.

The feventh is a charity fermon, preached at St. Bride's in Eafter-week, 1761, before the lord-mayor, aldermen, and governors of the feveral hofpitals of the city of London.

The eighth, on the fubject of Chriftian inftruction, was preached at the yearly meeting of the children educated in the charity fchools, in and near the metropolis.

The ninth was preached at St Margaret's, Weftminster, on the 30th of January, 1761.-The fubje&t of this difcourfe is, Division an eventual confequence of Chrift's religion.

The

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