the text feems to be more fanciful than juft. An inventive genius difcovers beautiful ideas, and admirable allufions in the figurative expreffions of oriental writers, which the author never intended to fuggeft. Inftead of the illuftration here propofed, a writer of the laft century would have faid, with equal propriety, that thefe plants were growing up for a more glorious end, viz. to become beams and pillars for the conftruction of the new Jerufalem.

27. A Vindication of the moral Character of the Apostle Paul, from the Charge of Infincerity and Hypocrify brought against it by Lord Bolingbroke, Dr. Middleton, and others. Sherwing at the fame Time, from his Example compared with that of our Lord, and the other Apofiles, the true and proper Measures to be taken for the Converfion of the Jews. By Caleb Jeacocke. 8vo. Pr. Is. Flexney.

St. Paul having been charged by lord Bolingbroke, Dr. Middleton, and others, with infincerity and hypocrify, or temporizing with the Jews and Gentiles as it ferved his purpose, is defended by this writer upon a fuppofition that the revelation made by our Lord, to this apoftle, of the doctrines he was to promulgate to mankind was, that the Gentiles converted to chriftianity fhould be under no obligation to circumcife, and keep the law of Mofes; but that the Jews were under the fame obligation after their converfion as they were before.' The apostle, he fays, as a Jew, which he always profeffes himself to be, acted accordingly, and fupported an uniform and confiftent conduct through the whole of his life. His character, therefore, he thinks, will ever fhine as very upright and fincere, notwithstanding what the writers above-mentioned have faid against it.

This fuppofition he endeavours to confirm not only by the example and doctrine of St. Paul, but also by the authority of our Lord, his apoftles, and the firft ages of christianity. The paffages which feem to fupport the common opinion, that the Jews are entirely free from the law of Mofes, relate, he says, to the Gentiles only; and no text, he imagines, can be produced in which the Jews are faid to be releafed from all obligation to keep the ceremonial law. It is moreover his opinion that if Jews fhould be profelyted to chriftianity at this time, the law of Mofes would, nevertheless, have an obligatory force upon them; and that the teachers and propagators of chriftianity fhould allow them to continue in their own cuftoms, provided they would believe in Jefus Chrift, be baptized, and partake of the memorial of his death in the facrament.

Thus,

con

continues he, the great ftumbling block to their embracing the gofpel would be removed, the partition wall between the Jews and Chriftians would be taken away, and a general converfion to christianity might be expected.'

This method of vindicating the character of St. Paul is new, and ingeniously supported, but we cannot adopt his hypothefis;' for furely it would be a palpable abfurdity to retain a number of ceremonies refpecting a future dispensation, when their end is anfwered, and the difpenfation long eftablished. Is it not plain, according to the reafoning of St. Paul, Heb. ix. 10. that the carnal ordinances of the Jewish law were only to continue till the time of reformation, and that the priesthood being changed, there is made of neceffity a change of the law*? does not he speak of the first covenant as decayed, waxen old, and ready to vanish away †? which was foon after fulfilled in the deftruction of Jerufalem, when all the facred and civil polity of the Jews was entirely abolished.

28. An Appendix to an Inquiry into the Nature and Defign of Christ's Temptation in the Wilderness. Containing fome farther Obfervations upon the Subject, and an Answer to Objections. By Hugh Farmer. 8vo. Pr. 6d. Buckland.

In this appendix the author briefly examines Dr. Clarke's difcourfes on our Saviour's temptation; and obferves that the doctor has not removed the principal difficulties attending the literal interpretation. He then confiders the objections which have been urged again ft his own explication, and anfwers them upon the principles which he has adopted. But there are other reafons which will ftill perhaps induce an impartial reader to fufpend his determination. The temptation, our author fays, was a divine vifion; and he fupports his opinion by the fe words of St. Matthew: Then was Jefus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness. Expreffions, however, to the fame effect occur in other parts of the facred hiftory, where no vifion can be fuppofed. Barnabus and Saul were fent forth unto Seleucia by the holy Spirit: Simeon came into the temple by [or in} the spirit : and it is obfervable, that after the temptation was ended, Jesus is faid to have returned in the power of the spirit into Galilee. The words of the evangelifts are then at least confiftent with the common opinion; the expreflions υπο του πνεύματος and εν τω vevati do not imply a vifion, the literal interpretation is attended with difficulties ** we confefs; but difficulties and abfurdities are things widely different.

*

*Heb. vii. 12.

+ Ch. viii. 13.

Sec Crit. Rev. Vol. xviii. Art. 5.

29. The Life of Francis Xavier. Abridged from Father Bohours, 12mo. Pr. 15. Cooke.

The editor of this performance is one Mr. James Morgan, a preacher among the methodists. His defign, we fuppofe, is to furnish the faints of the tabernacle with a pattern of religious Quixotifm. Indeed the zeal of this celebrated miffionary would have deferved applaufe, if it had not been actuated by the ftrongest fanaticism. But his brain feems to have been turned by the reveries of fuperftition. Believing that he could not tame the haughtiness of his foul without mortifying the flesh, he undertook the conqueft of his body by rigorous fafting, haircloth, and a variety of other fantastical aufterities. When he received the order of priesthood, he fought out a folitary place where he might enjoy the privacies of God; he paffed forty days in a miferable thatched cottage, forfaken of inhabitants, and out of all manner of repair, expofed to the injuries of the air, lying on the cold hard ground, rigidly treating his body, fafting all the day, and fuftaining nature only with a little pittance of bread; but tafting all the while the fweets of paradise in contemplating the eternal truths of faith.'

Though he might have been cloathed in a respectable manner, ' he had most commonly fo many patches on his casfock that the Indians derided him; he pieced up his tatters with his own hand; and never changed his habit, till it was worn to rags.'-As if filthinefs was the effence of holiness, and it was not poffible for a man to become wife and good, without fcourging his pofteriors, or fuffering himself to be overrun with vermin.

The reader will perceive a striking resemblance between this faint-errant and fome of our modern reformers, who ramble over North-America, in order to turn the hearts and the heads of their followers.

30. Epifcopacy: A Letter to the reverend Mr. Forfter, the Author of a late Pamphlet, entitled, Two Letters from a late diffenting Teacher; with an Answer to the former, and Animadverfions upon the latter. By Thomas Howe. 8vo. Pr. 25. Dilly.

The controverfy concerning the divine right of episcopacy, which our forefathers debated till they were weary, is here revived, and the fame trite arguments retailed by Meff. Forster and Howe.

Diocefan epifcopacy, fays the former, has a divine right; and has not only been univerfally and uniformly maintained in the church for 1500 years, but was always elteemed as a divine 3 in

inftitution.

79

The latter infifts that Bishops in the authorities which his adverfary produces, or in any he can produce, within the two first centuries, or lower, were no other than the apoftolic bishops, the fcripture sonoоl, or paftures of parti cular congregations.'

Proceed, gentlemen, the printer and the pastry-cook may reap the fruit of your labours.

31. Pfalms and Spiritual Songs. Some according to Portions of Scripture, fome from Texts of Scripture, fome on the fcriptural Names, Titles, Characters, and Offices of Chrift, and fome others. 8vo. Pr. 1s. 6d. Rivington.

This author has turned the canticles, and other parts of fcripture, into verfe. But his collection of fpiritual fongs can be of no fervice to a reader of tafte; as it contains nothing which can enliven his affections, elevate his foul, or infpire him with a juft idea of the beauty and fublimity of the facred writings. However, it may contribute to the edification and comfort of many pious Chriftians, in whofe opinion, devotion confifts in a groan, gospel preaching in a rhapsody of nonsense, and facred harmony in a foporific twang through the nose.

32. Reflections on the Moral and Religious Character of David, King of Ifrael and Judah. By John Francis, M. A. 8vo. Pr. 25. 6d. Newbery.

The author of these reflections gives the reader a view of the Jewish government; and then proceeds to confider the conduct of king David, towards Saul and his family. His behaviour in the wars in which he was engaged with the enemies of Ifrael, and his repentance on account of the crime he had committed in the affair of Uriah. In thefe particulars he warmly defends the royal patriarch, and in order to prove that he was in a peculiar manner the man after God's own heart, he attempts to fhew that many parts of his life were types and figures of the gospel covenant. But he might have fpared himself the trouble of urging this argument; for the character and title of the Jewish monarch are extremely doubtful, if they depend on types and figures.

33. 4

33. A Letter of free Advice to a young Clergyman. 8vo. Price 6d. Longman.

This letter contains fome excellent advice with respect to the ftudies, the minifterial duties, the drefs, the refidence, and the conduct of a parochial clergyman, in many articles of importance; and may be read with advantage by the elder, as well as the younger clergy.

34. An Account of the Care taken in moft civilized Nations for the Relief of the Poor, more particularly in Times of Scarcity and Difirefs. By the Rev. Richard Onely. 4to. Pr. 1s. Davis.

In this tract, Mr. Onely has laid before the reader a general view of the methods which have been taken by lawgivers and magiftrates in Judea, Egypt, Greece, Rome, &c. to prevent dearths and oppreflions, and to relieve the people when these calamities have unavoidably happened. The regulation of weights and meafures, and other matters relative to the fubject are occafionally mentioned; facts are ftated; and the reAections and ufes deducible from thefe examples are left to the difcernment of the learned and judicious reader.

35. Minutes of the Proceedings of the Commiffioners appointed by Act of Parliament for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, at their Meetings on the 25th, 28th, and 30th of May, and 13th of June, 1765. 4to, Pr. 6d. Billingsley.

By thefe minutes it appears, that Mr. Harrifon refused to give fuch fatisfaction, touching the conftruction of his timekeeper, as the commiffioners required. They therefore refolved, nem. con. that it is the opinion of the board, that the terms which have been propofed to Mr. Harrifon, for a difcovery of the principles and conftruction of his watch, or timekeeper, are reasonable and proper; and that, as he has fo peremptorily refufed to comply therewith, they do not think themselves authorized to give him any certificate, or that it is to any purpose to treat with him any farther upon the matter, till he alters his prefent fentiments.'

Since the publication of this pamphlet, however, matters are compromised; and Mr. Harrifon has given all the fatisfaction required by the commiffioners.