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drawn from the knowledge of human life; and many of his portraits are not unworthy of the pen of La Bruyere. If he finds a spark of piety in his reader's mind, he will soon kindle it to a flame; and a philosopher must allow that he exposes with equal severity and truth the strange contradiction between the faith and practice of the Christian world." A still higher testimony to Law's powers is furnished by Dr Johnson: "When at Oxford," says he, "I took up Law's 'Serious Call to a Holy Life,' expecting to find it a dull book, (as such books generally are,) and perhaps to laugh at it. But I found Law quite an over-match for me; and this was the first occasion of my thinking in earnest of religion, after I became capable of rational inquiry." The same work, it is stated, produced such an effect on John Wesley, that no sooner had he perused it, than he resolved on devoting himselt wholly to the service of God.

Bishop Lavington.

BORN A. D. 1683.-DIED A. D. 1762.

THE memory of this prelate is chiefly preserved by a more violent than judicious attack made by him upon what he was pleased to call the enthusiasm of the Methodists. He was born at Mildenhall, in Wiltshire, of which place his grandfather was rector; and was educated on Wykeham's foundation near Winchester. After a number of intermediate appointments, he was elevated to the see of Exeter, on the death of Bishop Claggett. He died in 1762. Warburton says that his work on the Methodists is only a bad copy of Stillingfleet's Fanaticism of the Church of Rome.'

John Mason.

BORN A. D. 1705.-DIED A. D. 1763.

JOHN MASON, the son of a dissenting minister, was born at Dunmow in 1705, and educated principally by Mr Jennings of Kibworth. In 1728 he was chosen pastor of a congregation at Dorking, whence he removed, in 1746, to Cheshunt. Here, in addition to his ministerial labours, he superintended the education of several young men who afterwards became eminent preachers. Mason distinguished himself more as a writer than as a divine. His first work, A Plain and Modest Plea for Christianity,' was published anonymously; the name of its author, however, soon became known, and the university of Edinburgh conferred upon him the degree of M. A. by diploma. He subsequently published a valuable Treatise on Self-Knowledge; Essays on Christian Morals;' Student and Pastor;' 'Essays on Elocution;' and fifty-two sermons on important subjects in divinity, under the title of 'Lord's Day Evening Entertainment.' His Treatise on Self-Knowledge' is, perhaps, one of the most popular books of its class extant. His death took place in October, 1763.

Gibbon's Miscellaneous Pieces.

John Leland.

BORN A. D. 1691.-DIED A. D. 1766.

THIS eminent writer in defence of Christianity was born at Wigan, in Lancashire, in 1691. He accompanied his father, in early life, to Ireland, where the family settled, and where he became a dissenting minister. The publication of Tindal's attack on the doctrines of revelation first drew him out as an author. His answer to Tindal appeared in 1733, and was very highly esteemed. In 1737 he replied to Morgan's 'Moral Philosopher.' These publications introduced him to the favourable notice of many eminent men, and he was honoured with the diploma of D.D. from the university of Aberdeen.

6

In 1742 he published an answer to a pamphlet, entitled 'Christianity not founded on argument;' and in 1753, Reflections on Lord Bolingbroke's Letters on the Study and Use of History.' Next year appeared his 'View of the principal Deistical writers,' in the form of a series of letters to a friend. This friend was Dr Thomas Wilson, rector of St Stephen's, Walbrook. Popular as the 'View' soon became, no bookseller would give more than £50 for the manuscript, whereupon Dr Wilson printed a large edition at his own risk, and the subsequent editions sold with great rapidity and profit. His last work was on the Advantage and Necessity of the Christian Revelation,' which he published when upwards of seventy years old. He died in January,

1766.

Leland is a calm, clear, and dispassionate writer.

Nathaniel Lardner, D.D.

BORN A. D. 1684.-DIED A. D. 1768.

THIS very learned and meritorious divine was born at Hawkhurst, in Kent, on the 6th of June, 1684. After a grammatical education, to which great attention must have been given, and in which a no less rapid progress must have been made, he was sent first to a dissenting academy in London, then under the care of the Rev. Dr Joshua Oldfield, and thence, in his sixteenth year, to prosecute his studies at Utrecht under the celebrated professors D'Uries, Grævius, and Burman. He remained at Utrecht for more than three years, and then removed for a short space to Leyden. In 1703 he returned to England, and em. ployed himself for some further time in close and diligent preparation for the profession of the ministry. In 1709 he preached his first sermon from Romans i. 16,-"a text," his biographer Kippis remarks, "than which there could not have been a more proper one for a man who was destined, in the order of Divine Providence, to be one of the ablest advocates for the authenticity and truth of the Christian revelation that ever existed,"

A few years after this, Lardner was received into Lady Treby's family, widow of the lord-chief-justice of the common pleas; as her

domestic chaplain, and tutor to her youngest son. In this situation he continued till 1721, having within that period accompanied his pupil to the continent, and spent some time with him abroad.

By Lady Treby's death he was removed from a situation which seems to have been an agreeable one, and was thrown into circumstances of some perplexity and suspense. His own remarks will show the state of his mind at this time. "I am yet at a loss," says he, "how to dispose of myself. I can say I am desirous of being useful in the world. Without this, no external advantages relating to myself will make me happy; and yet I have no prospect of being serviceable in the work of the ministry, having preached many years without being favoured with the approbation and choice of any one congregation." Dr Kippis remarks, that "it reflects no honour upon the dissenters, that a man of such merit should so long have been neglected." But it must be observed, that in elections which are dependent upon the whole body of a congregation, a regard will be paid, not only to internal abilities, but to external qualifications. It is not probable that Mr Lardner, even in his best days, was possessed of a good elocution; and his simple mode of composition was not calculated to strike the multitude. Two years after the death of Lady Treby, Mr Lardner met with another calamity which greatly affected him. This was the decease of his former pupil, Brindley Treby, Esq., a gentleman for whom our author had the highest affection and esteem. Indeed he felt so deeply the loss of his friend, that he imputed to it, in part, the increase of a deafness which had been coming upon him for some time before. In the beginning of the year 1724, he writes as follows: "Mr Comish preached; but I was not able to hear any thing he said, nor so much as the sound of his voice. I am indeed at present so deaf, that when I sit in the pulpit, and the congregation is singing, I can hardly tell whether they are singing or not."

Previously to this account of himself, and at least as early as 1723, Mr Lardner was engaged, in conjunction with a number of ministers, in carrying on a course of lectures, on a Tuesday evening, at the Old Jewry.

In 1727 Mr Lardner published, in two volumes 8vo, the first part of "The Credibility of the Gospel History; or, the Facts occasionally mentioned in the New Testament confirmed by passages of ancient authors, who were contemporary with our Saviour, or his Apostles, or lived near their time.' An Appendix was subjoined concerning the time of Herod's death. Dr Kippis observes, that "it is scarcely necessary to say how well this work was received by the learned world. Not only was it highly approved by the protestant dissenters, with whom the author was more immediately connected, but by the clergy in gen eral of the established church; and its reputation gradually extended into foreign countries. It is indeed an invaluable performance, and hath rendered the most essential service to the cause of Christianity. Whoever peruses this work-as to him that does not peruse it, it will be to his own loss-will find it replete with admirable instruction, sound learning, and just and candid criticism. It was not long before a second edition was called for, and a third was published in 1741."

In the beginning of February, 1728, the course of Mr Lardner's studies was interrupted, and his life threatened, by a violent fever, which

proved of long continuance. For some time his recovery was despaired of, but he was at length happily restored to health. His pious sentiments after his recovery are thus expressed: "I thankfully acknowledge the great goodness of God, who raised me up again, and desire that his great mercy may be had in perpetual remembrance by me. May I serve him the remainder of my time in this world with inviolable integrity, unshaken in my steadfastness by all the snares of a vain and uncertain world."

With all Mr Lardner's merit, he was forty-five years of age before he obtained a settlement among the dissenters. On the 24th of August, 1729, he happened to preach for the reverend Dr William Harris, at Crutched Friars; and the consequence of it was, that he was unexpectedly invited by the congregation to be assistant to their minister. After mature deliberation, he accepted the offer, which, as he declared in his letter of acceptance, was peculiarly agreeable to him, because it allotted him a part of service in the work of the gospel, with their honoured pastor, for whom he had entertained from his early youth a high regard and esteem. On the 14th of September he entered upon his new charge, and the subject of his first sermon was taken from 2 Cor. v. 20.

In 1731 Mr Lardner published the first volume of the second part of his 'Credibility of the Gospel History.' It was Mr Lardner's original intention, not to publish a part of the evidence for the principal facts of the New Testament, until the whole work was completed; but he was diverted from this purpose by the importunities of his friends. He wished, however, to have exhibited at once the whole evidence of the two first centuries of Christianity; but he thought it expedient to break off sooner, that he might not render the volume of an inconve nient size. Our author took this opportunity of expressing his gratitude for the favourable reception which had been given to the former part of his work. Besides its being universally well received at home, it was so much approved abroad, that it was translated by two learned foreigners; by Mr Cornelius Westerbaen, of Utrecht, into Low Dutch; and by Mr J. Christopher Wolff, of Hamburgh, into Latin. "I cannot but esteem it," says Mr Lardner, "as an uncommon happiness, that my thoughts have been so justly represented by persons well known in the republic of letters for compositions of their own."

In 1735 he published the second volume of the second part of the 'Credibility of the Gospel History.' The farther Mr Lardner proceeded in his design, the more did he advance in esteem and reputation among learned men of all denominations. Even the adversaries of religion could not withhold their testimony to his merit. The noted Dr Morgan -afterwards the writer of the Moral Philosopher,' in which revelation was attacked with the greatest virulence-in a letter to our author, containing some objections to the first chapter of St Luke's Gospel, compliments him highly on his integrity, impartiality, and candour.

In November, 1736, Mr Lardner was attacked by another severe and dangerous fever. The effects of it were such, that he did not recover his health, so far as to be able to preach, till late in the spring of 1737. In that year he published his 'Counsels of Prudence, for the use of young people.'

In 1738 Mr Lardner published the third volume of the second part of the Credibility,' and the fourth in the year 1740. In 1743 he pub

lished the fifth volume of the second part of his 'Credibility.' In the same year the world was indebted to Mr Lardner for another valuable performance, the title of which was, The Circumstances of the Jewish People an Argument for the Truth of the Christian Religion.' It consists of three discourses on Romans xi. 11; in which the grand points insisted upon by our author, and maintained with great perspicuity and success, are, that the present state of the Jews was foretold by our Lord; that it is agreeable to many prophecies in the Old Testament; that it affords reason to believe that the Messiah is already come; that it furnishes an argument for the divine authority of the gospel; and that it exhibits an attestation to divers things upon which some evidences of Christianity depend.

In 1745 he published the sixth volume of the second part of his 'Credibility,' and the same year he received a diploma from the Marischal college of Aberdeen, conferring upon him the degree of doctor in divinity. In 1748 he published the seventh volume of the second part of his Credibility,' and the eighth volume two years after. In 1750 he published a volume of valuable sermons, the subjects of which are entirely of a practical nature. The following year he resigned the office of morning preacher at Crutched Friars. His reasons for this determination were, the increase of his deafness, the smallness of his auditory, and his desire of finding time for the completion of his long work. His Credibility' was not completed till the year 1755, when the twelfth and last volume appeared. The ninth, tenth, and eleventh volumes were published some time before. As the latter volumes did not sell so readily as the former during Dr Lardner's own life, he was considerably out of pocket by this great and important work, in which he had employed so many laborious years. He afterwards published a very valuable supplement in three volumes 8vo, and a large collection of ancient Jewish and heathen testimonies to the Truth of the Christian Religion' in three volumes 4to. He also occasionally published some smaller pieces, particularly one in 1759, without his name, under the following title, A Letter written in the year 1730, concerning the question, Whether the Logos supplied the place of a Human Soul in the person of Jesus Christ?' In the summer of 1768 he was seized with a decline, which carried him off in a few weeks, at Hawkhurst, the place of his nativity, and where he had a small parental estate. He had been removed thither, in the hope that he might recruit his strength by a change of air and relaxation from study. His remains were conveyed to town, and deposited in Tindall's burying-ground, commonly called Bunhill-fields. At his particular request no sermon was preached on occasion of his death; modesty and humility accompanied him to the last moment of his earthly existence. "A regard to God," says Dr Kippis, "appears to have been ever the governing principle of his actions. His piety, too, was of the most rational kind, being founded on just and enlarged views concerning the nature of religion."—" Correspondent to our author's piety was his love of truth, as is manifest from the whole of his works. No one seems ever to have preserved a greater impartiality in his inquiries, or to have been more free from an undue bias. He followed truth wherever it led him; and for the attainment of truth he was admirably qualified, both by the turn of his disposition and his understanding. With a mind so calm and unpreju