marks on it, as here published, is in Warton's Virgil, Vol. IV. P. 314. Vol. II. p. 2. 'I am deep in Tully's divinity.' The Editor, by a reference in the margin, fuppofes that the treatife De Di vinatione was meant. The remainder of the fentence in Mr. Boyle's letter fhews clearly that he alludes to the celebrated piece De Naturâ Deorum; and the following letter puts it out of all doubt. --p. 3. [Note.] Dr. Campbell apprehends that this tranflation was written only and not printed, &c. &c.' Mr. Boyle's tranflation of the Life of Lyfander from Plutarch was published with his name prefixed to it, in an edition of Plutarch's Lives, in 1703. 6 397. Urgent ademptum flebilibus modis, &c.' fratrem lugebat ademptum. 398. [Note.] The metre here requires " commenThe Author had dat," but the grammar "commendant." plainly in his eye Horace's Ode to Virgil on the death of their common friend Quintilius. Lib. I. Od. 24. Cui pudor et juftitiæ foror In corrupta fides, nudaque veritas See Dr. Bentley's note, which reftores the fingular number on the authority of more than ten MSS. In Samuel Wefley's Elegy on Bifhop Atterbury, instead of "dêfert lies" read-LIES defêrt the monumented clay. ART. III. The Hiftory of the Miniftry of Jefus Chrift, combined from the Narrative of the Four Evangelifts. By Robert Willan, M. D. 8vo. 4 s. Boards. Philips. 1782. THE HE defign of this very laudable and ufeful publication is to exhibit the events of the Gospel-history in a connected chain or order of fucceffion, and by combining the accounts of each Evangelift, to relate, in their own words, every incident, with all its circumftances, at full length. The history of our Saviour's life and doctrines can only be drawn from this pure and original fource. Tradition furnishes no additional materials; nor do any authentic records of cotemporary writers afford any affiftance on this important fubject. The difficulties, however, in arranging the feveral events of the Evangelical hiftory, fo as to bring them into a regular feries, and to combine the different relations of the hiftorians, fo as to form one complete and uniform narrative, are confeffed by our Author to have been not a few. If (fays Dr. Willan) the Gofpel of Matthew be taken as a standard, which has been generally done, the others muft must be tranfposed almost throughout. If Luke or Mark be fixed upon for this purpose, as more regular and connected, ftill Matthew would invert their order in one or two inftances, limiting to a particular time what they have not fo accurately defined I must confefs, however, that the arrangement of Luke and Mark appears to me preferable. They write profeffedly in fet order, agree in most circumftances, and the events recorded feem to follow each other in natural and eafy progreffion; whereas Matthew is often abrupt and unconnected in his narration, attending more especially to the doctrines delivered, completion of prophecies, &c. &c.' The Author particularly inftances a defect of order in the difpofition of the Sermon on the Mount; and therefore he inferts it in the place which Luke has affigned to the principal part of it; at the fame time preserving entire this noble piece of morality, judging it improper to difjoin or contract it. The other incidents (lays he) are arranged according to a plan which appears to me moft reasonable and moft unexceptionable; the foundation of each narrative being taken from the fullest account, or from the testimonies of a majority, and any additional circumftances fupplied from the others where they occur.-More attention is due to one Evangelift than another at different periods of our Lord's miniftration. Mark is more exact with refpect to the tranfactions in Gallilee: Luke enlarges upon the events and difcourfes which, took place in the journies of Jefus Chrift through Samaria and Judea: John is moft full and particular in what happened at Jerufalem: Matthew is perhaps leaft connected, ufing in his tranfitions the words xa, id, eyevelo, &c. &c. without fpecifying the parti cular times.' Dr. Willan obferves, that the parts of the Gospel which have given commentators and harmonists most trouble, are the accounts of the last fupper, and of the events between the refurrection and afcenfion.... Matthew fums up the general facts without much precision; but Mark enters into a particular detail. . . . . . As Mark and John are most precife and particular, coinciding at the fame time perfectly in their accounts, I found this part of the narrative on them, and infert the additional incidents from the others. So, throughout, I think it right to prefer a laboured and circumftantial account to one that is flight and general.' Dr. Willan is fo perfectly fatisfied with the present tranflation of the New Teftament, that he hath only thought it neceffary to make a few slight verbal alterations; as, for inftance, the Holy Spirit, for Holy Ghost; and, instead of Devil, the original word Demon is reftored, where poffeffion is spoken of. According to the arrangement of events propofed in the Preface to this work, the duration of our Lord's miniftry is limited to to three years. From the diftribution which the Author hath made, he takes notice of the little regard paid to ftrict order by the Evangelifts; and of confequence infers, that none of them ought to be taken for a perpetual guide. They join circumftances together because they happened at the fame place, though not at the fame time; they combine others on account of their fimilarity. Sometimes they choofe to give a continued feries of of historical narration, and deliver the doctrinal part feparately, when in ftrict propriety they fhould have been intermixed." The notes which accompany this publication are few, but in general they are pertinent and fatisfactory, and felected with much judgment. On the whole, we recommend this work for its great utility, fince the principal advantage propofed by it is, to accommodate the Evangelical hiftory to the meaneft understandings, and by á methodical arrangement, and a full account of every incident, to make the Gospel the beft and cleareft comment on itself. ART. IV. Differtations on the fœderal Tranfactions between God and bis Church. By John Muirhead, Minifter of the Gotpel, Kelio. 8vo. Printed at Kelio by James Palmer. 1782. THE HE fubjects treated of in thefe Differtations follow one another according to the order of hiftory. The method is chiefly explanatory and didactic, though the Author sometimes runs into declamation and mysticism; and here and there he gives us a specimen of his talents in criticifm and controverfy. The Nonconformift-writers of the last century appear to have been his model, and he is no unfuccefsful imitator of them. He hath all their Shibboleths, and breathes all their fpirit. The defign of this publication feems to be directed to one favourite object and that is—the renewal of the Scotch Solemn League and Covenant. For this purpofe he explains the nature and end of foederal engagements; traces their origin and progrefs in the Old Teftament through all their gradations and improvements; and illuftrates the fubject by a view of the conduct of the apoftolic and primitive churches in reference to it. He brings it down to the era of the Reformation, and concludes his work with an account of the renovation of churchcovenanting by the afficiate prefbytery at Stirling, in the year 1743. Near a hundred congregations (fays this Author) have copied the example fince that time. The ferious part of this [Scotch] nation (fome friends to the abdicated family excepted) had always a becoming reverence for the covenants, though they had not renewed them for near a century. The first oppofition made unto them from any other quarter was from from independent notions, maintained under the aufpices of John Glafs: but as his fyftem was remarkably obfcure, and fome of his followers travelled ftill farther into the land of dark-. nefs, it hath not proved a hurtful inftrument. Oppofition from another quarter has been more fuccefsful. The fame of Whitefield induced several to invite him into this country; but as he formed a fyftem of religion fuited to the univerfal tafte of mankind, and as he knew the avenues of human nature remarkably well, he difcarded the plan of a covenanted reformation, as by much too narrow. This needs to be no matter of furprize, The covenanters have uniformly reprefented epifcopal government and worship as corruptions which required reformation, and called fuch as had been corrupted by them unto repentance, humiliation, and amendment.' We think this infinuation is extremely uncandid. It aims to fix on Whitefield the character of a crafty and interested timeferver, who ftudies accommodation more than fidelity, and is more concerned to make profelytes than to establish the truth. If this was his difpofition, we do not think his refusing to bind himself by an oath, to attach himself folely to the feceders of Scotland, a proof of it. Their plan was indeed much too narrow' for a liberal mind; and the intolerant fpirit of this rigid fect must have given great difguft to a good-natured perfon. It extended to points of difcipline, which have been generally regarded (even by thofe who have adopted the fame principles of faith) as uneffential to the greater interefts of Chriftianity, and fuch as ought not to be infifted on by a church that calls itself Proteftant. This affociate prefbytery would revive the very worst fpirit of their ancestors-fuch, indeed, as might admit of some apology in them, but such as we cannot excule in an age fo enlightened as the prefent, and in a country where, having every indulgence ourselves, we difcover a difpofition equally ungrateful and ungenerous, by attempting to deprive others of the fame liberty. It is fufficient to tranfcribe one paragraph of the Covenant, which the brethren of the feceffion impofe on all candidates for church membership, in order to fhew our Readers how grim a complexion it bears, and how juftifiable the more learned and moderate clergy of the Church of Scotland are in refusing it their countenance and protection: "We PROMISE and SWEAR by the GREAT NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD, we fhall walk in his ways, keep his judgments and commandments, and hearken to his voice; and, particularly, that we fhall, by the Lord's grace, continue and abide in the profeffion, faith, and obedience of the forefaid true reformed religion, in doctrine, worship, prefbyterial churchgovernment and difcipline; and that we fhall, according to our feveral ftations, places, and callings, contend and teftify against all all contrary evils, errors, and corruptions, particularly Popery, Prelacy, Deifm, Arianism, Arminianism, and every error fubverfive to the doctrine of grace; as alfo independency, and latitudinarian tenets, and the other evils named in the above confeffion of fins." And can these feceders dare to accufe the Papifts of arrogating undue and unauthorized claims? Did ever Rome fet up for more infallibility than this affociate prefbytery? Is there any thing in Prelacy more dogmatical, or more domineering, than we meet with in this Scottish covenant? It sets out on a principle, than which nothing can be more prefumptuous. It in effect fays, "We have an exclufive right to determine what is truth and what is error. We have fixed the precife limits of the one and of the other, both for ourselves and for others. We admit of no pofterior convictions; but have put a stop, from henceforth and for ever, to all enquiries that have a tendency to make the leaft alteration in our articles of faith, or mode of difcipline. We not only profefs what we are, but "with our "hands lifted up (as we fay in the Covenant) to the MOST HIGH GOD, we declare folemnly before God, angels and "men," we will continue the fame, both in faith and practice, to the laft. It is impoffible for us to be mistaken now, however mistaken we have been before, and may be hereafter. We therefore agree, that if any of us fhould, on any pretence whatever, adopt any opinions different from those we now profefs, or pursue any practice different from that which we have here announced to be our true and bounden duty, that we shall in fact have PERJURED ourselves before God and man; and we do hereby declare, that if we should be anathematized, we fhall have no caufe to complain, but, on the contrary, that we fhall merit in this world, and that which is to come, the fearful doom of apoftates."-To us there is fomething very horrible in fuch an engagement as this! and the rashness of it is fufficiently apparent from the following confideration :-Some of the original abettors of the Covenant, and who took the first and most zealous lead in the associate prefbytery, actually fell off from it, and incurred the cenfure of excommunication. We think they had little right to complain. They had not the candour to provide a retreat for others, and found none themfelves. There is one maxim better than all the oaths of their folemn league and covenant: Judge not that ye be not judged; for with what judgment ye judge, it shall be judged to you; and the measure that ye mete fhall be measured to you again." * 66 The Erfkines, Fisher, Rob, Willifon, &c. &c. ART. |