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the college of London. The compiler has added notes, pointing out, concifely, the methods of diftinguifhing the goodness of moft articles in the materia medica; and has fubjoined the recipes of feveral noftrums, faid to have been analyfed by the late Robert Doffie, Efq.

A Differtation upon the Nervous System. 8vo. 1s. 6d.

A complicated and incoherent production, abftrufe without investigation, and laboured without apparent defign.

CONTROVERSIAL.

A Reply to a Second Letter on the Duration of our Lord's Miniftry, from the Rev. Jofeph Priestley, LL. D. F. R.S. By W. Newcome, D. D. bishop of Waterford, 12mo. 25. Robinson.

As

In this letter his lordship fuggefts fome very material confiderations in favour of his hypothefis*, and evidently fhews, that he has ftudied the fubject with great accuracy and difcernment. many of the points in the debate feem to be ambiguous, Dr. Priestley will probably reply; and if his lordship should follow his example, the controverfy may be continued without end. In the mean time, it is in excellent hands, is conducted with liberality, politenefs, and learning, and cannot but afford fome agreeable information to the lovers of biblical criticism.

We shall give our readers the conclufion of this letter:

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Many confiderable writers have affigned a duration to our Lord's miniftry differing from that which we fuppofe in our refpective harmonies. Scaliger, Sir Ifaac Newton, Whiston, Stillingfleet, Allix, Wells, &c. compute five paffovers between our Lord's baptifm and crucifixion. I formerly quoted Whitby as oppofing this opinion: but I find that he afterwards acceded to it. For my own part, I do not fee that it has any foundation in the gospels. We cannot infer a diftinct feast from that recorded John v. 1, becaufe Jefus's difciples arc faid to have plucked and eaten ears of corn. And other paffovers, fuggefted by fome, are ftill more weakly founded: Macknight for instance, introduces one foon after the payment of the tribute-money; because the Talmud fays that the tribute was demanded in the last month of the Jewish year.

will next very briefly ftate the conveniencies and inconveniencies of comprehending our Lord's miniftry within the space of two years and about fix months of which opinion G. J. Vof fius fays that, if he could recede from that in which Mr. Mann has closely followed him, ad nullam potius dilaberetur quam illam, biennium et paucos menfes duraffe Toxíletav Chrifti: quod a

• See Crit. Rev. vol. 1. p.181. vol. lii. p. 115.

veritate

veritate proxime recedit, et veterum multorum nititur auctoritate. And again facile huic fubfcribent fententiæ, quibus durius videtur, quod de réęw wgorégy in c. vi. 4. admiffo fuperius diceba

mus.

• Let it be fuppofed that John v. 1. was the feast of pentecost immediately after the first paffover.

The advantages of this fyftem are: 1. Jefus attended the feaft which directly followed the firft paffover; and, because the Jews fought his life at that time, he intermitted his attendance on the four fucceeding feafts of tabernacles, the dedication, the paffover, and pentecoft. But, when his ministry drew towards a conclufion, he attended the feafts of tabernacles, of the dedication, and of the paffover at which he fuffered. There seems to be a remarkable fitness in this conduct: whereas, on the plan of my Harmony, three feasts between John ii. 13. and v. 1. remain unattended for general reafons only.

2. Thus too Herod heard of Jefus's fame a year fooner than I have fuppofed yet not till Jefus had preached and wrought miracles in Galilee for near twelve months.

If any fhould think that, John v. 1. fome other feaft is meant befides the pentecoft fubfequent to the first paffover, for example the feaft of tabernacles in the fame year, let him obferve how difficult it will be to find a place for it between the season of ripe corn referred to Luke vi. 1. and the raising of the widow of Nain's fon, Luke vii. 11.

The only inconvenience of fuppofing John v. 1. to be the first pentecoft in our Lord's miniftry is that there seems to be lefs time allowed for our Lord's important inftructions and actions during the fifty days between John ii. 13. and v. 1. than the decorum and full effect of them require. I have fo little attachment to my own plan, that, if I could obtain fatisfaction on this point, on which I would gladly know the opinion of able critics, Í would readily relinquish it: and I will propose to my readers a diftribution of this time, which may recommend itself to them, though I cannot acquiefce in it myself.

Suppofe then that

Jefus was at Jerufalem fome days before the paffover,

John ii. 13 and after it

That he paffed in Judea

In the journey to Samaria and stay at Sichar

In the journey to Cana and stay

In the journey to Nazareth, and ftay

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[These two last articles may be fuppofed to compre
hend his preaching in the fynagogues of Galilee.]

In his ftay at Capernaum

In his tour about all Galilee

In his journey to Jerufalem

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My readers will likewife obferve, and calculate as they think fit, what numbers of miles our Lord travelled in this space of time.

Thus have I freely given you my fentiments on the subject of our amicable debate: I have endeavoured to deliver them with the refpect due to your eminence as a scholar, and with the good manners and good will which we owe to each other as gentlemen and as Chriftians. I am, &c.'

In the foregoing extract his lordship fhews that moderation, which is always amiable, particularly in points of doubtful difputation.

Gibbon's Account of Chriftianity confidered: together with fome Strictures on Hume's Dialogues concerning Natural Religion. . By Jofeph Milner, A. M. Svo. 35. Robinfon.

This writer divides his work into three parts. In the first, he examines fome facts and characters, which, he thinks, are mifreprefented by Mr. Gibbon; in the fecond he gives an account of what he calls evangelical truth, or the vital parts of Chriftianity; and, in the third, he defends what he styles Christian principles.

From the general tenor of this work, we are inclined to form a favourable opinion of the author's piety and learning But when we read his account of original fin and imputed righteousness; his invectives against human reafon, and his frequent allufions to myfterious feelings and experimental illuminations, we are induced to believe, that his theological abilities would have been more properly employed in writing comments on the works of Jacob Behmen or William Law, than in maintaining a controverfy with such a formidable adverfary as Mr. Gibbon.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Theory of the Syphon, plainly and methodically illuftrated. 8vo. Is. 6d. Richardfon and Urquhart.

The manner in which a fyphon acts is explained in this pamphlet with great perfpicuity, upon the principles of hydrostatics; and the philofophical author has likewife fhewn, by mathematical reafoning, the use of this inftrument in accounting for recipro cating fprings.

The Neptune of Europe. 25. Bell.

This pamphlet contains a lift of the naval force of Great Britain, and the other maritime powers of Europe, with the names of the commanders, and a variety of particulars relative to the marine establishments of each nation. The whole is digefted in a methodical manner, and may be useful, fo far as the fluctuating state of temporary appointments will permit.

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For the Month of October, 1781.

Eight Sermons preached before the Univerfity of Oxford. By
Timothy Neve, D. D. Chaplain of Merton College. 8vo.
3s. 6d.
Cadell.

TH

HIS is the fecond volume, which we owe to the benefaction of the pious Mr. John Bampton; containing a general defence of Chriftianity, of the orthodox opinion concerning the divinity of our Saviour, &c.

The defign of the first discourse is to prove, that Jefus Christ is the predicted Meffiah. Here the author, before he proceeds to the prophecies of the Old Teftament, on this fubject, makes the following obfervation: Without the agency of a fuperintending Providence it would have been an utter impoffibility to imagine, that a regular, well-arranged, and confiftent plan, could be carried on for upwards of four thousand years; and under the administration of different perfons of various countries, callings, and interefts, who, in their several fucceffive generations, fhould have the fame point perpetually in view; to which, as to a common center, they thould all uniformly tend, without any, the leaft, variation or contradiction. Such a continued harmony and union, both of fcheme and fentiment must owe its progress, as well as its rise, to that God who is great in counsel, and mighty in work, who giveth wisdom, and knowlege, and understanding.'

This remark is perfectly juft. But if the author had confined himself to that aftonishing feries of prophecies, which gradually unfold almoft every circumftance relative to the VOL. LII. Od. 1781..

R

Meffah,

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Meffiah, and exactly coincide and centre in the perfon of Jefus Chrift, his argument would have been as ftrong and conclufive, as it is now, by the addition of the following types and fhadows: The command to Abraham to offer his fon Ifaac ; the bleffing imparted to Judah; the fufferings, exaltation, and perfon of Jofeph; the priesthood of Melchifedeck and Aaron; the call, election, and government of Mofes; the triumphs of Jofhua; the reign of David; the redemption of the first born; the brazen ferpent; the killing of facrifices, more especially of the pafcal lamb, the actions and ceremonies. upon the great day of expiation, attending both the fcapegoat, and the goat appointed for the fin offering, whofe blood was to make atonement: all thefe various mystical emblems, whether perfonal, occafional, or perpetual, look to one and the fame grand character, which gave them their import

ance.'

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Nothing can be more eafy than to find a thousand circumftances, like thefe, in the hiftory of the Bible. But what authority have we to call all these things prefigurative types' of the Meffiah! An inventive genius may probably find a refemblance between the history of Jofeph (even perhaps in the affair of Potiphar's wife *) and that of Jefus Chrift; but no prudent writer would attempt to rest the caufe of Christianity on any of thefe arbitrary fuppofitions.

The fubject of the fecond lecture is the true knowlege of God and Chrift.'

In the first paragraph the author gives us this obfervation: To know or believe in general, that there is a God, fome fupreme felf-exiftent being, who is the author of nature, who hath given life and being unto us, and to every other creature, muft undoubtedly yield us no small pleasure in the discovery, from the exercife and improvement of our intellectual faculties; but can fuggeft to us no nearer a relation to him, than that of creator and governor of the universe ?' Is it poffible to conceive a nearer relation, than that of a creature to his Creator?

In commenting on thefe words, 'Αυτή εσιν ή αιωνιος ζωη ἵνα γινωσκωσι σε τον μόνον αληθινόν Θεον, και ὃν απέσειλας Ιησούν Χριςοκ. John xvii. 3. Our author fays: By a fmall alteration in the punctuation, they may be thus rendered: "This is life eternal to know thee, and Jefus Chrift, whom thou haft fent, to be the only true God." Thus making them bear their tef

Her folicitations may poffibly be fuppofed by these ingenious writers to typify this propofal of Satan: If thou wilt worship me, all fhall be thine."

timony

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