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the end propofed, but have been often made with fo little. judgment, or received with fo little candour and impartiality, that, instead of remedying that difference of opinion, which, if an evil, is a very fmall one,-they have added to it, (our Author juftly obferves) that difcord of affection and party-hatred, which is undoubtedly a very great evil.

One thing (he remarks) which has contributed, to render all fuch attempts ineffectual, or productive of consequences worse than the disease itself, has been this: men have rather ftudied to divide and multiply the characters ascribed to our Saviour in the New Teftament, (and confequently to perplex our minds in conceiving of them) than to reduce them to one intelligible meaning; and particularly have applied thofe titles to the perfon of our Lord in a metaphyfical fenfe, which are given to him in Scripture folely on account of his office and dominion.

It will greatly facilitate our conceptions,' continues our Author, and ftrengthen our chriftian belief, if we confider the various eminent titles and characters afcribed to him, • as intended, not to fignify different properties of his nature, or offices of his mediation; but only, to recommend him to our esteem and veneration, in various allufions to different dignities and offices among men.-For inftance, in allufion to the office and dignity of High-prieft among the Jews; he is faid to be our High-priest, and to offer his own blood as a facrifice for us.-In allufion to patrons and interceffors in earthly courts; he is characterized our Advocate with the Father, and defcribed as continually making interceffion for us. In reference to the power and dignity of temporal Princes; he is ftiled A Prince mighty to fave to the uttermoft, and his government an everlasting kingdom.-Compared to Generals who fight the battles of their country, and overthrow its enemies; he is denominated the Captain of our falvation, who fubdues our fpiritual enemies.-And as angels, and even earthly Governors are called GoDs in Scripture; fo He is fometimes in a more eminent fenfe • ftiled a GOD: not on account of his metaphyfical nature ⚫ or effence (which the Scripture faith not a word of) but on account of the dominion or government which God hath • committed to him for the eternal falvation of men.--And finally, as angels, and even good men, on account of their ⚫ piety and goodnefs, and the divine favour toward them, are frequently called the Sons of God: fo he is most frequently, and in the moft eminent fenfe characterized, the Son of God: denoting by that title, not the derivation of his effence, but

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his moral worth and dignity in the divine estimation.All these titles and characters may be reduced to one and the fame meaning: recommending him to our esteem and 'confidence, as being appointed of God the Saviour, Governor, and Judge of mankind, in refpect to their eternal ftate; as qualified and empowered to take care of our moft ⚫ important interefts, and to beftow the rewards of immortality on good men.

It will confirm this explication, to obferve, that the privileges and bleffings we derive from his mediation, are defcribed in the fame allufions and figurative expreffions.As he was in a most eminent sense the Son of God, so it is • faid, that he gave his followers a power or privilege to become the fons of God.-As he is ftiled the heir of all things; fo his true followers are ftiled, Heirs of God and joint-heirs with himfelf-As he hath the titles of King and of HighPrieft; fo he hath made them to be Kings and Priefts to his God and Father.-As he received from God a kingdom; fo <he faith to his Difciples, I appoint unto you a kingdom.

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As he is faid to be one with the Father; fo it is said, that he raifeth his followers to be partakers of a divine nature, and • to be one with him, even as he is one with the Father.—And farther, as he is defcribed fitting upon a throne of glory, and coming to judge the world; fo he declares to his Apostles, that they should fit down with him on his throne, and that they fhould judge the twelve tribes of Ifrael.-In a word, as he is filed the first born among many brethren, with whom he partook of human infirmity and mortality; fo they are defcribed as partaking with him in his refurrection, exaltation, dominion, glory, and joy.-All thefe expreffions and figures are reducible to one and the fame meaning: defcribing in various lights the grand effect of our Saviour's enterprize: when all thofe who have followed his example. of virtue and obedience, fhall be raised from the dead, in the likeness, and by the power of their exalted Prince, be cloathed with immortality, and inherit the kingdom prepared "for them,-where he refides and shall reign for ever.

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The Apostle Peter in the words of the text, represents the dignity of Chrift in the most easy and intelligible terms; < yet fuch as comprehend the greatness of his character, and • the end of his office: Him hath God exalted to be a Prince • and a Saviour. The title of Prince implies, the power or dominion God hath committed to him: and the term Sa< viour, the end for which that power was given, namely, the falvation of men.-All the titles and attributes, there4 fore,

fore, afcribed to our Saviour in his exalted ftate, unite inone general idea, which is that of a benefactor, from whofe 'power and goodness mankind derive benefits or privileges of the highest, most lafting, and extenfive nature; namely, 'a refurrection to a future ftate, a perfect administration of justice in that ftate, and to all good men the possession of immortality and endless happiness.-To this dominion or empire our Saviour rofe by his virtue, or his most perfect • and examplary obedience to the divine will. For it is faid, • That he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross: and therefore God highly exalted him. And he himself declares, that God hath committed all judgment to him, because he is the Son of Man. And for this exaltation, as the reward of his virtue and obedience, he prayed to the Father Almighty in these words, a little be'fore his departure from this world: I have glorified thee on' • earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now Father glorify me with thyself, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

The Author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews, in order to ' recommend our Saviour and the Gospel-religion to the, 'esteem and acceptance of the Jews, and obviate their scruples and prejudices, makes frequent allufions to the Templefervice, and to the office and dignity of High-Priest. For. the Jews were educated in a high veneration for those things; and therefore the Author made choice of such allufions and figures as were most effectual to answer the end proposed, viz. to make the Jews willing to relinquish the pomp and ceremonies of Judaifm, which were no better. than empty fhadows, and entirely embrace the fubftantial and fpiritual religion of the Gofpel. But our Saviour never <defcribes his own future dignity and office under a facerdotal character, but always under that of a Prince, a Sovereign, and fudge. And therefore we may conclude, that how proper foever the former allufion might be, as addressed to the Jews, yet the latter character is better adapted, ⚫ upon the whole, to give us a juft conception of His mediatorial power and office. And it is this latter which the <Apofties make ufe of, in their first delivering the Christian doctrine to the world: faying, That God had raijed up Jefus from the dead, and made him Lord and Chrift; exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour; in order that he might give repentance and remiffion of fins.

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It is folely or principally in the kingly character that the < dignity of our Saviour is prophetically defcribed in the REV. Jan. 1760.

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writings of the Old Teftament: as particularly in Ifaiah • ix. 6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a fon is given, and • the government shall be upon his shoulder,—and of the increase of his government and peace there fhall be no end. He is represented figuratively as fucceeding to the throne of David : and at the fame time his kingdom is defcribed in fuch cha⚫racters as cannot all agree to any human government.

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The higheft dignities and most important offices amongst men, are no more than fhadows, or faint resemblances, of the glorious power and office of our Saviour in the redemption of the world and the Scripture makes use of fuch fenfible allufions to affift our feeble apprehenfions of things fo fublime and fpiritual. But great mistakes and errors have ⚫arifen from adhering too much to the letter, without un⚫derstanding or keeping in view the general meaning and defign of all fuch expreffions.-When our Saviour spoke to the Jews of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood," and they did not understand his meaning; he tells them, that his words were to be taken, not literally, but figuratively or fpiritually. For the letter, faith he, profiteth nothing: but the Spirit giveth life. The words that I speak unto you, they are fpirit and they are life: i. e. They are not to be underftood in a grofs and material fenfe, but moral and spiritual. -So from the titles afcribed to our Saviour in his exalted ftate, taken from human dignities and offices, we should learn to form the highest and pureft conceptions we are • able, of his fpiritual dignity, and of the great and bene⚫ficent end of his office, as far excelling all that is human and temporal.'

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In the feventh Difcourfe our Author anfwers the objections. against the Gospel, and the evidence of it; in the eighth, he fhews, that falvation is derived, not from human merit, but divine mercy; and in the ninth, confiders the nature of the Chriftian religion. The remaining Difcourses are on the following practical fubjects-Religious Joy, Religious Gratitude, Religious Fear, Religious Obedience, Religious Induftry, and Religious Liberty; and are all clear, rational, and judicious.-Upon the whole, this is really as valuable a fet of Pulpit Difcourfes as hath been published for fome years past.

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A Trea

A Treatise on the Law of Defcents in Fee Simple. By William
Blackftone, Efq; Barrifter at Law, and Vinerian Profeffor
of the Laws of England, and D. C. L. 8vo.
Millar.

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Is. 6d.

HE well-known and ingenious Author of this Treatife, modeftly premifes, in an Advertisement, that it being calculated merely for the information of his academical Pupils, the learned Reader must not expect any thing new, nor the curious, any thing entertaining, on fo dry a topic. Neverthelefs, we may venture to fay, that the learned Reader will not find himfelf uninformed, or the curious unentertained, by the perufal of this little tract.

The Writer having firft explained the nature of kindred, and the feveral degrees of confanguinity, proceeds to lay down a series of Rules or CANONS OF INHERITANCE, according to which Eftates are tranfmitted from the Ancestor to the Heir. Under the first Rule, which ordains, that Inheritances fhall lineally defcend, but never lineally afcend," he takes notice, that the admiffion of parents to the inhe⚫ritance of their children, is not all dictated by natural Reafon, as the admiffion of children moft certainly is to that of their parents, where any fucceffion is permitted: for, as the progenitors received not their being from their offfpring, they have therefore no reafon to expect from that quarter the means of fupport and fubfiftence.' He adds,

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It may further be alledged in defence of this exclufion, that thofe who introduced and gave fanction to fuch law, were ❝ themfelves fathers; and confidering them as fuch, this efta⚫blishment conveys to us a very high idea of their magnanimity, honour, and parental affection. Of their magnanimity: because a gift of lands from the parents to the children is so much the more generous, and conveyed with a better grace, the farther the diftance is, at which they have placed the poffibility of a refumption, of the inheritance <returning to themfelves. Of their honour: which was too • delicate to admit their children upon fuch a footing of equality, as that they might be mutually heirs to each other; or even to entrust themfelves with the maintenance and care of that offspring, by whofe death they might poffibly be gainers. Of their parental affection: in that they regarded the lofs of their children as their greatest misfortune that could poffibly befall them, for which no eftate could be a recompenfe: they would not therefore anticipate their affliction, by fuppofing a thing fo contrary to nature, as

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