danger had in the days of Q. Anne. But we cannot perceive what reason this writer can poffibly have for infifting fo much on this point, at this juncture. Is the church in any danger now? The Author himself does not even infinuate that this is the cafe: and perhaps what he has faid on the fubject proceeds merely from the excefs of his zeal for religious eftablifhments. Thus Daniel Burges (whofe averfion to the whore of Babylon was always uppermoft, whatever was the fubject of his pulpitdifcourfes) feldom or never concluded a fermon till he had taken a whack at the pope:' as he himself expressed it. Art. 35. The Answer at large, to Mr. Pitt's Speech. 8vo. 6d. Nicoll. What is called Mr. Pitt's fpeech, in favour of the repeal of the American ftamp-act, has appeared in the public papers, and is, if not wholly authentic, undoubtedly the eccho of many things which the great Commoner faid, on that great Occafion. As to this reply, it is-like the good woman's answer to thunder: or, a pop-gun against a piece of ordnance. Art. 36. A feafonable Addrefs from feveral Perfons interested in the propofed Alteration of the Law for regulating Entails; to the Noblemen and Gentlemen of North Britain: and to the Members of the British Parliament in general. 8vo. IS. Millar. This fubject hath, of late, been much difcuffed, especially in the northern parts of this ifland, on account of the propofed amendments of the law of Entails in Scotland; and we have already expressed our thoughts upon it:-fee Review, Vol. XXXII. p. 466-469. The prefent ingenious Writer advifes that great caution fhould be used, in regard to any alterations, in a matter of fo much consequence; and he feems, in great measure, to take the fame fide of the question with the author of Confiterations on the Policy of Entails, &c.'-Though we differ from our Author, in fome very material points, yet, in juftice to his abilities, we muft fay, that his arguments ought to be feriously attended to, before the propofed alterations are determined upon; for, as he rightly obferves, it is no proof of wisdom to be either too tenacious of old principles, or too hafty in the adoption of new ones. * Mr. Dalrymple. See Rev. for June 1765. RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL. Art. 37. A farther Appeal to the unprejudiced Judgment of Mankind, in Behalf of the Indians. Containing, 1. Animadverfions upon fome late Arguments of a Right Reverend Prelate of the Church of England, in Reference to our fending Miffionaries from bence to convert the Indians. Written in the Year 1760. 2. Thoughts upon the proper Means and Meafures of converting the Indians to true Chriflianity. Written in the Year 1764. To which are added, Confiderations relative to the Subject of the foregoing Propofals, particularly that of appointing Bishops or Superintendents in our Colonies abroad. By another Hand: both Joint-writers in the Free and Candid Difquifitions relating to the Church of England, &c. 8vo. Is. 6d. Millar. The impartial Reader, who is a friend to liberty, to the unalienable 327 rights of confcience, and to genuine Chriftianity, will be much pleafed Of the feveral Harmonies of the Gofpel already published, fome have been fo well executed, and fo favourably received by the public, that there could be but one reason for this addition to their number, viz. the confiderable bulk and price of the former compilations: too great for the circumstances of the lower ranks of readers,-who are the very people that most need the affiftance of fuch books. This was Dr. Greenwood's motive for offering the prefent little connective view of the New Teftament, to the Christian world; and we fuppofe it will answer the laudable end he had in view: as it appears to be very judiciously executed. He has chiefly followed the fteps of Dr. Macknight; whofe valuable performance we recommended to our Readers at its firft appear ance; and have fince had the fatisfaction to fee our judgment of that work fully ratified by the public fuffrage in its favour. Art. 39. The Sovereignty of the Divine Adminiftration vindicated; or, A Rational Account of our bleffed Saviour's remarkable Temptation in the Wilderness; the Pojjeffed at Capernaum, the Demoniacs at Gadara, and the Deftruction of the Swine: with Free Remarks on feveral other important Paffages in the New Teftament. By the late Rev. Mr. Thomas Dixon of Bolton. With a Preface, by the Rev. Mr. John Seddon of Manchester. 8vo. IS. Becket. Mr. Dixon propofes a figurative or allegorical interpretation of our Lords temptations. He is of opinion that the devil was not at all concerned in it; but that fuch thoughts arofe in the mind of our Saviour, in the course of his meditations, as would naturally have arifen in the mind of any perfon, in the fame or like circumstances with thofe in which Chrift then was. The Editor of this pofthumous publication, has observed, in a note, at p. 20, that the propriety of the temptations, and their application to the courfe of our blessed Saviour's miniftry, is reprefented in a full and fatisfactory manner by Mr. Farmer, in a tract published fince the death of our Author, which, had he lived to fee, would have rendered his own performance more perfect.' He adds, however, that Mr. Dixon's notion of an allegorical representation of real temptations, feems preferable to an entire vifionary Scene; and he afks, Is it not more honourable to our Lord, and more exemplary?' This worthy Divine feems, indeed, to have been fo thorough an enemy to the devil, that he appears defirous and determined, to the utmost of his abilities, to drive the black gentleman entirely out of the world. It appeared to him that many things faid in feripture concerning the devil, must be interpreted figuratively, if we would avoid afferting See Review, Vol. XXV. p. 130. the the most abfurd and ridiculous things. Every one, fays he, who is acquainted either with human or divine learning, knows, that the most beautiful parts of it confift in figurative, bold, hyperbolical defcriptions. Nay, nothing is more ufual or ornamental in all kinds of poetry, than to reprefent good or evil qualities, virtues, or vices, under the characters of perfons. Thus in the heathen poetry, the mufes, the graces, and furies, faith, fortune, &c. have been reprefented as real perfons. In like manner St. Paul has in profe, with great elegance, introduced fin and death, as though they were real perfons; from whence our famous poet Milton, took one of his univerfally admired epifodes. Hence, as the fcriptures were wrote in the bold, figurative, eastern manner, when the literal fenfe of a paffage is abfurd, recourfe may juftly be had to a figurative interpretation. This is what proteftants univerfally allow, in arguing against the church of Rome, and particularly against tranfubftantiation; for we fay, our Lord's words, This is my body, and this cup is the New Teftament, in my blood, are to be understood figuratively, and not literally, left abfurdity and contradiction fhould follow from the literal fenfe. In like manner, when Satan is faid to present himself before the Lord among the fons of God, there is a neceffity of interpreting this figuratively; fince one would think nothing could be more abfurd, than as this place is commonly understood, that the devil prefented him. felf before God amongst the holy angels. But I am inclined to think, that the devil is neither really nor figuratively intended; for the word Satan may fignify nothing more than an adverfary, or a calumniator, or the abftract quality called calumny; which may with the greatest beauty be poetically defcribed, either among the worshippers of the fons of God on earth, or the angels in heaven, accufing Job, as is reprefented in this fecond chapter; or it may mean no more, than the flanders of his envious neighbours. The word Satan does not only fignify, but is rendered adversary by our own tranflators. Again, to interpret our Lord's temptation literally of the devil, would make it look very ftrange, if not expose it to ridicule. Can any thing be more indefenfible or incredible, than that the devil fhould actually transport our Lord from the wilderness through the air to a pinnacle of the temple, and that from thence he conveyed him to a high mountain? If the finest poetical writings, not to fay profe ones too, were thus literally to be interpreted, they would lofe all their beauty, and mankind would cease to admire, and be charmed with them.' With refpect to Chrift's cafting out devils, our Author understands no more, thereby, than that he cured feveral diseased, mad, and lunatic perfons. In this notion he has the countenance of several learned critics, whofe writings on this fubject have been long before the public; and many ftill living must remember the notable controverfy concerning the Demoniacs, in which the late Leonard Twells, and other able divines, were fo much concerned. For farther particulars of Mr. Dixon's fcheme of demonology, we must refer to the pamphlet; particularly recommending to the Reader's attention, Mr. Seddon's very honeft and fenfible prefatory discourse on the right of private judgment, and the proper exercife of that right. [The Single Sermons in our next.] THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For MAY, 1766. The Confeffional; or, a full and free Enquiry into the Right, Utility, Edification and Success, of establishing Syftematical confeffions of Faith and Doctrine in Proteftant Churches. 8vo. 5 s. Bladon. W taken, of this work, by thofe whom it principally con HATEVER opinion may be entertained, or notice cerns to give it an attentive and serious perufal, it will be read with pleasure, we are perfuaded, and with approbation, by every confiftent proteftant, by every friend to civil and religious liberty. 6 The great point our Author has in view, and for which he is an able and zealous advocate, is the reformation of our ecclefiaftical conftitution; a point in which the honour of Chriftianity, the interests of religion, and the credit of the church of England, are intimately concerned. He does not feem to flatter himself, however, that any steps towards a reformation will be taken by the prefent dignitaries of our church;--and, poffibly, fome will fay they are in the right; that they are wife and difcreet men ;-Men well acquainted with the genius and temper of the times in which they live; and who, from the heights of their elevated ftations, are enabled to take extenfive views of things, and to perceive the dangerous tendency of thofe romantic schemes of reformation, which vifionary mortals, who know little of the world, are apt to entertain.'-The dangercus tendency, indeed, of every step towards the reformation of our eftablished church, hath often been urged; but for our parts, we cannot see what it is that men are afraid of. It hath, indeed, been infinuated, that the dignified clergy are apprehenfive, that should a farther reformation take place, it might poffibly extend too far, and affect their temporalities.But fuch an infinuation, we verily believe to be highly injurious to the general VOL. XXXIV, character Ꮓ character of our clergy: who, for candour of difpofition, generofity of fentiment, good fenfe, and manly fpirit, are not to be exceeded by any fet of ecclefiaftics in the world. -Where then fhall we look for the true cause of their backwardness to fecond the laudable motion made, a few years ago, by the learned and worthy Authors, of the Free and Candid Difquifitions? Let us try whether we can discover it, by the light held forth in the excellent performance before us. The author introduces his work with a long preface, which is both entertaining and inftructive. The author of the following performance, fays he, freely confeffes himself to be one of those, who, in common with an eminent prelate, "have been feized with that epidemical malady of idle and vifionary men, the projecting to reform the public." • Nor would he have any reafon to be afhamed of claffing with so confpicuous a character, were it not that he hath unhappily taken an antipathy to that course of medicine, to which fo many others of the fraternity owe the recovery of their health and fenfes. He is ftill, alas labouring to bring his project to bear, even when all the world about him, is exclaiming at the folly of every one who is engaged in fo defperate an enterprize. The honest truth is, he thinks the remedy worse than the difeafe; having feldom obferved any one of these patients perfectly cured, but by the application of a charm, which ufually operates in the other extreme; and, in the shape of political Spectacles, reprefents the public as too good to need reformation; a fort of vifion which, of course, ends in a perfect conformity to the principles and manners in fashion, and not seldom puts the reftored fanatic in a hopeful way of recovering with advantage, whatever he was in danger of lofing, by perfifting in his former rêverie. 'Our fage advisers will no doubt fuggeft that there is a middle way between the two extremes; and that a man of prudence and probity, having tried his talent at reforming, without fuccefs, may well fit down contented, enjoy his own opinion, and practise his own virtue in fome corner out of the way of temptation, and, for the reft, leave others, who are willing to take the public as they find it, to make their beft of it. To this fober counfel, I, for my own part, fhould have the lefs objection, could I be fatisfied, that a neutral character in matters concerning public reformation, where talents are vouchfafed, though ever fo fparingly, were to be justified; and particularly where, as in this country, every man may, within decent reftrictions, publish, as well as enjoy, his own opinion. There are certain provinces and ftations, where, if the public really wants to be reformed, they who occupy them,,muft be at fome trouble in ftifling their own convictions, before they can |