matter, the reasoning is full as good as the Criticism. But here he should have stopped; for so fatal is his expression, where the fit of Answering is upon him, that he cannot ask quarter for one blunder without commiting another-Unless ABROGATION is made to signify a TOTAL ABOLITION, and duration is construed to be cessation." I can find (says he) no absurdity nor inconsistency in Dr. Spencer, without perverting the common signification of words :"-without calling duration cessation.-This is his Argument; and so far was well. But he goes on-and abrogation a total abolition. Here he sinks again; for abrogation was abolition, amongst all nations and languages, till Dr. Sykes first pleaded in abatement. Well, but our Answerer will go farther: and having so ably vindicated Dr. Spencer, he will now shew, though the Doctor be consistent, yet so am not I: for that I hold, the extraordinary Providence entirely ceased on the return from the Captivity: From whence (says this subtle logician) I argue thus, "If the EXTRAORDINARY PROVIDENCE entirely ceased on the full Settlement of the Jews after their Return, it ceased some "centuries at least before the days of Christ; and CONSEQUENTLY the THEOCRACY must have ceased some centuries before the days of Christ. How "then is Mr. W. consistent about the duration of the Theocracy, since he pleads for its continuance till "Christ's time, and yet maintains that IT entirely "ceased so long before his time*?”

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The argument, we see, gathers even as it rolls from his mouth. In the beginning of the sentence, The ceasing of an extraordinary Providence only implied in consequence, the ceasing of the Theocracy; but, before we get to the end, an extraordinary Providence and a Theocracy are one and the same thing. "Mr. W. pleads for its [a Theocracy's] continuance till Christ's time, and yet maintains that IT entirely ceased so long before his time." Thus again to the same purpose

• Examination of Mr. W's Account, &c. pp. 173, 174.”

at

at p. 178: "Or by what rule does he form a judg

ment that WHAT was gradually decaying to the "Captivity, was entirely to cease after their Return " and full Settlement; and yet was to continue till "Christ's time?"-Nay, if he begins to talk of Rules, let me ask him by what Rule he found out, "that a Monarchy and an exact Administration of Justice are one and the same thing?" The truth is, our Examiner was thus grievously misled by the ambiguity of the English word THE GOVERNMENT; which signifies either the MODE of Civil Policy, or the ADMINISTRATION of it. But was this to be expected of a man who had been all his life-time writing ABOUT GOVERNMENT?

To conclude this long note, The charge against SPENCER was of absurdity and contradiction in one single instance amidst a thousand excellencies. Dr.Sykes assumes the honour of his Defence. But with what judgment, he soon gives us to understand, when he could find no other part of that immortal Book to do himself the credit of supporting, but the discourse concerning the Theocracy; much in the spirit of that ancient Advocate of Cicero, who, while the Patriot's character was torn in pieces by his Enemies, would needs vindicate him from the imputation of a Wart upon his Nose, against his Friends.

P. 128, [I] It was one of the principal Accusations which Apion, at that time, brought against the Jews, that they would not have Gods in common with other Nations; as we learn from Josephus's tract against him, τί δ ̓ ἡμῶν ἔτι κατηγορεῖ τὸ μὴ κοινές #XEID TOTS DAROIS 9res. Vol. ii. pp. 477, 478. And Celsus calls that famous maxim, A man cannot serve two Masters (on which he supposed Christians founded the same principle) THE VOICE OF SEDITION when men are for breaking off all society and commerce with the rest of mankind. EXO's incíveis Яu㶠ἑξῆς ἐκείνοις ἡμᾶς εἰσάγει λέγοντας πρὸς τὴν ἐπαπόρησιν αὐτό, θέλοντα ήμα YOL. Y,

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καὶ τὰς Δαίμονας θεραπεύειν ὅτι οὐκ οἷόνε δελεύειν τὸν αὐτὸν πλείοσι κυρίοις. Τέτο δ ̓, ὡς οἴται ΣΤΑΣΕΩΣ εἶναι ΦΩΝΗΝ, τῶν ὡς αὐτὸς ὠνόμασεν) αποτειχιζίνων ἑαυτὲς καὶ ἀποῤῥηγνύντων ἀπὸ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀνθρώπων. Orig. cont. Cels. p. 380.

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P. 129. [K] In his Tract against Apion he has these remarkable words: It is becoming Men of prudence and moderation carefully to observe their own Country Laws concerning Religious matters, and to avoid calumniating the customs of others. But this Man [Apion] abandoned his own Religion, and has since employed himself in inventing lies of ours. γὰρ τὰς εὐφρονένας τοῖς μὲν οἰκείοις νόμοις περὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἀκριβῶς ἐμμένειν, τὲς δὲ τῶν ἄλλων μὴ λοιδορεῖν· ὁ δὲ τέτες μὲν ἔφυγε, τῶν ἡμετέρων δὲ κατεψεύσατο. Vol. ii. p. 480. This was carrying his complaisance to the Gentiles extremely far. But the necessity was pressing; and he misses no opportunity of conciliating their goodwill. Thus in his Antiquities, a work, as we observed, entirely apologetical, he tells the Reader, 1. iii. c. 6. that the seven branches of the golden Candlestick signified the seven Planets. But in his Wars of the Jews, 1. vii. c. 5. § 5. he assures us they signify the Reverence in which the Jews held the Number Seven. But, Allegory for Allegory, he thought, I suppose, one as good as the other, and therefore might be allowed to use what best served his occasions.

P. 129. [L] The Jews succeeded in their endea vours to distinguish Their case from the Christians. So that while the storm fell upon the latter, the other enjoyed a calm. As we may fully understand by that passage in St. Paul to the Galatians; As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised, only lest they should suffer per secution for the cross of Christ. c.vi. ver. 12. On which Limborch observes very justly,--Qui non zelo pietatis, aut pro lege Mosis, moti id urgebant; sed tantum ut

placerent

placerent Judæis; quia nempe videbant persecutiones quotidie magis magisque Christianis a Gentibus inferri, Judæos autem ab illis esse immunes, hac ratione eas, tanquam ipsi essent Judæi, studuerunt declinare. Amic. Collatio, p.164.

P. 130. [M] "There is, amongst many other "things that Josephus's copy appears to want, one "omission of so important a nature--the heinous "Sin of the golden Calf.-What makes it stranger is "this, that Josephus's account is not only negative, by a bare omission, but positive, by affording an "exact coherence without it, nay such a coherence as "is plainly inconsistent with it. And what still "makes it more surprising is, that Josephus frequently "professes, neither to add to nor to take away from "the sacred Books." Dissert. II. p. xlv. Some other Liberties, which Josephus took with Scripture for the end above explained, made this learned Writer conclude that the Historian had an earlier and more uncorrupt copy of the Old Testament than any we now have: for that his accounts are more exact, consistent, and agreeable with Chronology, with natural Religion, and with one another. p. xxxv. Yet, after all, the fatal omission of the golden Calf brings him to confess, that Josephus's copy appears to WANT many things which are in ours, p. xlv. Thus sorely distressed is this good man in the support of a wild extravagant hypothesis; while every one else sees that all the omissious and alterations (which sometimes make his copy good, sometimes bad) were designed deviations from the sacred Volumes to conciliate the good-will of his masters.

P. 135. [N] Here Dr. Sykes appears again upon the stage. "The Scripture representation of the Theocracy, as Mr. Warburton (says he) assures us, was, 1. Över the State in general: and 2. Over private Men in particular. I have no doubts about

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the

"the former of these cases: For where a law was

given by God, and he condescended to become King of a Nation, and a solemn Covenant was en❝tered into by the People and by God, as their King, "and where blessings were solemnly promised upon "obedience to the Law, or curses were denounced

upon disobedience: and this by one who was able "to execute whatever he engaged; no doubt can be about the reciprocal obligations, or about God's performing his part of the obligation, since it is his property not to lie nor deceive. Temporal Re"wards and Punishments being then the sanction of "the Jewish Law, these must be dispensed by God so as to make the State happy and flourishing if they keep the Law, or else miserable if they disobeyed it. The Blessings and Curses were general "and national, agreeable to the character of a King, "and a legal Administration: such as related to them as a People; and not to particular persons." [Exam. of Mr.Wi's Account, &c. pp. 186, 187.]

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Here, he assures us, he has no doubts about the extraordinary Providence over the State in general. And he tells us his reason,-Because the Law was given by God, and he condescended to become the KING of the Nation, by a solemn Covenant made with the People. Now if this very reason be found to hold equally strong for an extraordinary Providence over PARTICULARS, the point will be soon decided between us. Let me ask him, then, what those reasons are whereby he infers that, from God's becoming King of a Nation, he must administer an extraordinary Providence over the State in general, which do not equally conclude for God's administering it over Particulars? Is not his inference founded upon this, That where God condescends to assume a civil character, he condescends to administer it in a civil nanner? which is done by extending his care over the whole. If our Doctor should say, his inference is not thus founded; I must then beg leave to tell him,

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