fea, and so, as he defcribes them, were too arpwv, bominum remotiffimi.

• When Jupiter, or the fun, is said to have been gone μeja ALITA, to a feast, it may feem, at firft fight, to be nothing more than embellishment, was it not true that these people had a festival about the time of the winter folftice, called Sakeh. Zandia, ʼn Exudinn Eopn, fays Hefychius. But the Scythia of the ancients is of very uncertain extent. Or it might be called a Scythian feaft, because it was celebrated, as Strabo fays, Exvdisi, after the Scythian manner, that is, with all manner of intemperance and debauchery.'

When Jupiter, now fuppofed to be the fun, is faid by Homer to be attended to this feast by all the gods, it may be understood of all the planets, known, perhaps, at that time to have a motion of their own, though their periods might not have been, fo early, even tolerably fettled.

But befides the planets, which Diodorus fays the Chaldeans called by the fame names as the Greeks did, they had thirty other stars, which they called Oers Brλdros, gods of the council. To thefe they added twelve other principal gods, who, according to them, prefided each of them over a month, and one of the figns of the zodiac:

These were the gods therefore that, in the Chaldean astrological theology, attended the fun, and these feem to be the gods. that, in Homer's ftile, waited upon Jupiter. Olympus is plainly, in this manner of explanation, the fummer tropic, the highest part of the fun's annual orbit, his return to which is properly fixed to the 12th day, that is the 12th month from his departure from it.

The refult then of what hath here been faid, and the pasfage, when ftript of its poetry, will be this.

• The peftilence fell into the Grecian camp a month or two after the fummer folftice, when the fun, attended by the pla- · nets and fixt stars, was gone towards the winter tropic, the season when the people of Babylon and its territories celebrated an annual festival, and would not return to the fummer tropic till twelve months after his departure from it.'

30. Remarks upon the Second and Third of Three Letters against the Confeffional. By a Country Clergyman. 8vo. Pr. 15. Dilly and Kearfley.

The Letter-writer begins his Second Letter, with producing a number of paffages from the writings of the Reformers, in order to prove, that their principles are not fairly represented by the author of the Confeffional; and that they did not underftand the liberty fet forth in the gofpel, to mean "a difcharge

from all human authority in matters of religion." In answer to this reafoning, this writer maintains, that the declarations of any of the doctors of the reformed churches are nothing to the purpose. For, fays he, even fuppofing their arguments in favour of church-authority, were fet in a proper light by the Letter-writer, they will prove no more than this, that thefe perfons were fallible men, and either did not thoroughly uuderstand, or elfe very foon forgot their own principles. The question is not, whether they defended church-authority when it came to be vested in themselves, but whether, upon their separation from the church of Rome, they did not openly disclaim all human authority in matters of religion, fubmitting themselves only to the great Author and finisher of our faith, and whether that separation can be defended, if we deny the rights of private judgment. The fame argumentation, continues this writer, that proves it neceffary or expedient to admit the decifions of a provincial or national church, must certainly be far more convincing, when applied to the church of Rome. Accordingly most of the converts that are made to Popery, are drawn away by this fpecious argument; judging it more fafe to refign the direction of their confciences to a church that can boast of fuch power, antiquity, and extent, than to the claims of any smaller body of Chriftians whatever. Nor has any thing contributed fo much to fupport that church in her extravagant claims, as the abfurd behaviour of Proteftants; who, at the very time they are oppofing her notions of infallibility with all their might, are so inconfiftent as to impofe their interpretations of scripture upon others.'

What this author observes of the state of learning at the Reformation is unquestionably juft. Learning, fays he, at that time was but just beginning to revive; it required a confiderable time to attain a critical knowledge of the New Teftament. They laws, cuftos, and manners of the Jews and Heathen nations' were to be carefully confidered. Nevertheless, unfurnished with thefe helps, our forefathers weakly thought themselves qualified to fix their notions of religion as a standard to all fucceeding ages. And fuch is the infolence of fome, and the tame nefs of others, that we have ever fince meanly acquiefced in their determinations.’

The Letter-writer is of opinion, that diverfity of fentiments in religion endangers edification. This author, on the contrary, infifts, that to a diverfity of opinions we are indebted for the beft treatifes that have been written upon the fubjects of relig on and morality; that from the fame fource we derive that, critical and accurate knowledge of the New Teftament, which is to be found in the writings of our English divines; and that

this

this difference of opinion, which gives fuch alarm to the narrowminded bigot, appears to the philosopher as one of the principal means employed by the divine Being to lead us to truth and happiness.

The Letter-writer has obferved, that, ordinarily speaking, it is more likely that one, or a few fhould err, through ignorance or partiality, than greater numbers. This reafoning, fays the Remarker, is not founded on experience. The Copernican fyftem is undoubtedly true; and yet the majority of philofophers, as well as the common people, were for many ages agreed in exploding it.

It is urged by the Letter-writer, that the conduct of certain enthufiafts, that sprung up about the time of the Reformation, rendered confeflions of faith neceffary. The Anabaptifts at Munfter, fays this writer, were guilty of murder and rebellion, therefore their fovereign had a right to punish the ringleaders, and oblige the reft to give fecurity, that they would demean themselves as became peaceable fubjects. Such, continues he, would be the reasoning of common fenfe. But the Letter-writer, difdaining the vulgar rules of logic, has thought proper to argue in this manner :-The Anabaptifts at Munster raised a rebellion against their lawful prince, therefore all clergymen are obliged to fubfcribe to the belief of the doctrine of the Trinity, predeftination, and certain other fpeculative articles of

faith.

We could with pleasure attend this very fenfible writer thro' all his remarks, if the limits of our Review did not oblige us to conclude this article,

In our account of his former publication*, we intimated, that he feemed to have a greater partiality for the gentlemen of the feparation, than the clergy of the established church. To obviate any mistakes refpecting his perfuafion, he affures the public, that he was a member of one of our univerfities, and is at this prefent time an officiating clergyman of the church of England.

31. An Anfawer to a Book, entitled, Letters concerning Confeffions of Faith, and Subfcriptions to Articles of Religion in Proteftant Churches,, occafioned by the Confeffional. Part I. 8vo. Pr. 1. F. Newbery.

The author of the Letters concerning Confeffions of Faith writes to a friend, defiring to have his judgment for the confirmation of his opinions, or the conviction of his mistakes respecting the Confeffional. But inftead of encomiums, he has the mortification to receive this answer: "The defign of the author

*See vol. xxv. p. 395.

+ Supra, p. 75.

of the Confeffional you have fet in an invidious and false light Your arguments in favour of the right, as well as of the utility, of requiring fuch fubfcription as the queftion hath refpect to, are inconclufive. Your attempting to vindicate the lawfulness of a latitude in fubfcribing, not to mention the concern it gives me on another more important confideration, is inconfiftent with your plea for the utility of fubfcription. Your objections to, and reflections upon, the expedient offered by our author, to put this matter of fubfcription upon a better footing, ftrike equally against all expedients, and too plainly indicate what turn they are intended to ferve."

In the course of fix letters this writer has fo well fupported the two former of these affertions, that, we are perfuaded, the letter-writer would have fuppreffed his performance, or, at least, corrected his mistakes, if he had confulted his friend in proper time. The confideration of the remaining articles in the charge above-recited is referved for a future publication.

32. The melancholy Doctrine of Predefination expofed; and the delightful Truth of univerfal Redemption reprefented. By Edward Harwood, D. D. 8vo. Pr. 1s. 6d. Becket and De Hondt.

It is now agreed, by all rational interpreters of scripture, that predeftination, reprobation, and election, in the writings of St. Paul, relate to the advantages and bleffings of the gofpel in the prefent life, and not to the happiness or mifery of individuals in a future ftate. If this had been observed in the days of Calvin, the Chriftian world would not have been pestered with fo many unhappy controverfies on these topics, nor fo many ridiculous tracts in defence of doctrines which are abfurd and blafphemous.

Mr. Harwood, in this treatise, very properly expofes the common Calvinistic notion of predestination, and explains the meaning of the facred writers on this head in a very just and rational manner.

33. The Alarum: confifting of a Series of Thoughts on Chriftianity, as deducible from the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament : bumbly defigned to refcue its prefent mangled State from Superftition, Enthufiafm and Incredulity. Part firft. 12mo. Pr. 15.

Pearch.

This performance is a mixture of reafoning and railing, piety and fpleen, fenfe and nonfenfe.

To juftify this animadverfion, the following fhort paragraph will be fufficient.

For which of ye, pretended fhepherds, once ye get your foot into the devil's net, into the fhares of church-dignities, defire not your whole body likewife ?:

33. A

34. A Sermon preached at the Parish Church of St. Bride, Fleetftreet, on Wednesday, June 29, 1768, before the Governors of the Magdalen-Charity. By Richard Harrison, Lecturer of St. Peter's, Cornhill, and Joint Lecturer of St. Martin's in the Fields. Published at the Request of the Society. 410. Pr. 6d. Flexney.

The text which Mr. Harrison has chofen on this occafion is happily applied: it is this passage in Jeremiah, ch. iii. 1. Thou baft played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, faith the Lord. In difcourfing on these words, he first explains the meaning of the prophet; and then proceeds to fhew the utility of the Magdalen-Charity, not only to individuals, but alfo to the community; and in the laft place confiders how far the unfortunate women, for whom he is an advocate, are worthy of regard and protection.

The fubject of this difcourfe fuggefts a variety of affeding confiderations for furely there is not a creature upon the face of the earth more deferving of compaffion than a tender female, who has been involved in the deepest diftrefs by the infamous arts of feduction. Mr. Harrison has made fome very just and pathetical obfervations on this topic.

Before we quit this article, we cannot but take notice of an expreffion, which to our apprehenfion feems very improper.

Did God, fays this preacher, die for man upon the cross? This is indeed the language of fome of thofe divines who think themselves orthodox; but reafon tells us, that the notion of GOD's expiring on the cross is nonfenfe and blafphemy.

35. A Sermon preached in the Chapel of the Asylum for Female Orphans, at the Anniversary Meeting of the Guardians, on Monday the Sixteenth of May, 1768. Published at their Requeft. By the Rev. Thomas Francklin, Vicar of Ware, in Hertfordfhire, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majefty. 410. Pr. 6d. Davies.

In this difcourfe the ingenious author recommends the female orphans at the Asylum to the commiferation and beneficence of the public, in a very agreeable and pathetic manner.

36. Two Sermons in which the Doctrine of Reconciliation is plainly and briefly flated, and the Grounds of it are clearly pointed out. By Nathanael Whittaker, D. D. 8vo. Pr. 1s. Pearch. Fielding, in his Modern Gloffary, defines a fermon a fleeping dofe. We have a great refpea for the piery of this writer, but do not remember to have met with any compofition more deferving of this character than the prefent foporiferous discourse.