"titled, De afcenfione mentis in Deum per fcalas rerum "creatarum, which he valued more than any of his "works, and read it over continually with great plea"fure, as he fays in the preface to it. A work of that "kind may be done in a far better and more complete "manner, by the key Mr. Hutchinfon has given, "than has ever yet been done, and the natural and fpiritual world made to tally in all particulars. Such "a work would be of ftanding ufe and fervice to "the Church, and be a key to Nature and the S S. 66 teaching all men to draw the intended infiruction "from both. For this purpofe, the SS fhould be "read over, and the texts claffed under their refpec"tive heads; and in reading other books, all juft "applications of natural images fhould be extracted "from them, particularly where there are any good "divifions of an image into its parts and heads, as "much will depend on method and regularity. For "the bleffing of God on fuch an undertaking, with "out which all will be in vain, the Fountain of all "wifdom and Father of lights is humbly and fervently "to be implored, to enlighten the understanding, and 66 66 purify the heart, that it may be counted worthy, through the merits of the dear Redeemer, to under"fland the mysteries of the new creation fhadowed "by the old, and explained in the SS. of eternal truth, and be enabled to declare it to the people "unadulterated with any private imaginations, to the glory of God, the edification of the church, and his "own falvation." ¢་ On the other hand, there are in this age philofophical opinions, in which infidelity triumphs: and certain it is they have too plain an affinity to the atheistical doctrines of Epicurus aud Democritus, if they are not the fame thing; and therefore fuch an evil-minded wit as Voltaire caught at them with eagerness. He forefaw how, with a little of his management, they might be turned against all religion, and lead to the abolition of all divine worship: he therefore ftrained every nerve to magnify and recommend them his induftry in this refpect was wonderful; and we find, by fatal experience, how far it has anfwered his purpose. The philofophers of France have now feated themselves upon the clouds, from whence they look down with contempt upon every degree of Chriftian belief;-confidering even Newton himself as an example of the weaknefs of human nature for believing the Scripture! Where will this end? There is another report against the name of our good Bifhop, which wants explanation. The learned adverfary of the amiable Bifhop Hurd, and of the Reverend Mr. Curtis of Birmingham, and the friend of Dr. Priestley, a judge of all men and of all things, took occafion, foon after the death of Bishop Horne, to give us his character of him, in a note to a book he was then publishing; in which note many things are faid well, and like a fcholar: but there is one thing which, though well faid, is not juft to the Bishop's memory; who is there reported to have diffufed a colouring + Dr Parr. Johnstonas dife of Parr. 66. 687.697 and Barker's Parvana Vol. // I. p. 250 ! colouring of elegance over the wild, but not unlovely, vifions of enthufiafm*. Where could the gentleman find thefe wild vifions? In the State of the Cafe between Newton and Hutchinson, the author argues from the words of each, and confirms what he says by fact and reafon. The whole is written with the utmost coolness of temper, and without once appealing to any ambiguous evidence. In his fermons, his fenfe is ftrong, his language fweet and clear, his devotion warm, but never inflated nor affected: and, from the editions through which they pafs, it is plain the world does fee, and will probably fee better every day, that they are not the difcourfes of a varnisber of vifions. * The Socinian notion of enthusiasm being a curiofity which deferves to be known, I fhall give it to the reader in this place. I ? have a book before me, published by a Mi. En in the year 1772: a man, who feems no natural fool, but has made himself much worfe than one through a conceit of fuperior Chriftian wisdom, He delivers it to us as a doctrine of the orthodox, that "if our "belief were not attended with fome difficulties to our reason, there "would be no merit in our believing ;" and then adds, "fuch men "I fhall not fcruple to call enthufiafts; and to argue the cafe with "them, would be like trying to convince the poor ftraw-crowned mo"narch of Bethlehem-who is a king, because he knows he is a king." This gentleman tells us his mind fairly and plainly; for which we are obliged to him: but now let us try by his rule the faith of our Father Abraham. He believed in his old age, that his feed fhould be as the ftars of heaven, from a wife that was barren; and this is the belief which was accounted to him for righteousness. Here the reafon and experience of all mankind were contrary: against hope he believed in hope: here were not only difficulties to reason, but an actual impoffibility to reafon. The promise might have been given before, In his Commentary on the Pfalms, he has followed the plan of the writers of the New Teftament, and of the Primitive Church, in applying them as prophecies and delineations of the perfon of Chrift and of the Chriflian economy. If he is judged to have betrayed any enthufiafm in fo doing, it is only becaufe he happened to write in the eighteenth century; when Christian learning, under the notion of improving it, is greatly corrupted; the Fathers of the Church but little known*, and lefs relifhed; and the zeal and piety of the Reformation very much abated. Erafmus was juft fuch another enthufiaft in his divinity as before, while Abraham was young; but it pleased God to defer it till he was old, when reafon could not receive it; and from this circumftance only his faith was meritorious. No, fays the Socinian; this man, by my rule, was an enthufiaft, no more to be argued with than the monarch of bedlam, &c. What the mind of that man can be made of, who receives the Scripture as the word of God, and denies that faith has merit in admitting what is attended with difficulties to reafon, it is as hard for me to understand, as it is for him to receive the Articles of the Church of England; and yet, if he has spoken of himself truly, I cannot deny the fact and as this man is but a pattern of other Socinians, I do fuppofe it to be the opinion of them all, that the proper act of faith in a Chriftian is an act of enthusiasm. * I was therefore pleased with a seasonable attempt to revive the reading of the Chriftian Fathers, by the Rev. Mr. Kett, in the Notes and Authorities fubjoined to the fecond edition of his very ufeful and learned Bampton Lectures, p. iii. where he recommends to the Ecclefiaftical Student a Selection from the writings of the Greek and Latin Fathers. I could add other names and other pieces; but those he has mentioned are very fufficient. Dr. Dr. Horne; and is frequently found to have diffused a like colouring of elegance over like interpretations of the Scripture in which, however, he is not always either fo elegant, or fo fuccefsful, as the late Bifhop his follower: yet for this, in the days of better divinity, when faith and piety were more in fashion, Erafmus was never reputed an enthufiatt. A little warmth of devotion is very excufable in a Chriftian writer; and we apprehend that a very firong conviction of the wifdom and excellence of Chriftianity is neceffary to the making of a good divine-Ou del μετρίως κεκινημένον απτεσθαι. When a man of learning cenfures without juftice, he opens a door for the free remarks of others upon himfelf. But I fearch not into the gentleman's writings, for any examples of feverity, fcurrility, adulation, perplexity of principle, fioke and fmother, pedantry and bombaft: let others look for fuch things, who take delight in finding them. For my own part, I would rather with that my learned friend, when he is throwing his fine words about, would confider a little beforchand, how unworthy it may be found to attempt to leffen in any degree the good effect of fuch a character as that of Dr. Horne upon the Chriftian world, in its prefent declining condition and dangerous fituation: and how much more it would be for his honour to ufe the eloquence he is mafter of, rather in promoting than in hindering its influence. He knows too much of the world to be. ignorant, that in this age, when fo many counterfeits are |