of activity, which encouraged him to perfevere. And that he did ⚫ with fuch fuccefs, that in Auguft 1756, (as he informs me in a letter now lying before me) his bulk was reduced two whole ftone weight; and he could walk a mile with pleafure. He had continued the ufe of the foap all the time between June 1751, and Augut 1756, with very fhort interuptions, in the manner and quantity above mentioned; it operated remarkably by urine, without ever producing the least troublesome eff.ct. And now, while I am fening thefe pages to the prefs, (April 1765) I am certainly informed that he is hearty and well.'

1

Art. 14. A Differtation on Dr. James's Fever Powder, &c. By Malcolm Flemyng, M. D. 8vo. IS. Davis and

Reymers.

What Dr.Flemyng's motives may have been for writing this Differtation-for no: bfitating to congratulate the celebrated Dr.James-for applauding his penetrating judgment and fuccefful diligence, and for endeavouring to afcertain the nature and effects of the famous Fever Powéer, we will not pretend to determine-one reafon, however, himfelf has undoubtedly affigned; I know of no uncommon epidemic Fever, fays he, stirring in this neighbourhood, now while I am writ ng. If there had, we hope the Doctor would have found better employ

ment.

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL.

1

Art. 15. The Scripture Account of juftifying Faith confidered. In a Letter to the Rev. Mr. Samuel Pike. Interfperfed with Reflections on fome modern Sentiments in Religion. 8vo. Is. Buckland.

This Writer appears to have been one of Mr. Pike's Hearers and Admirers, till he became difpleafed with him for adopting certain notions, advanced fome time ago, by the Author of Letters on Theron and Arpafio. He owns, indeed, that when he first read thofe Letters, he was himself uncommonly pleafed with the Author's leading fentiment, on the doctrine of a Sinner's free Juftification by the righte oufnels of Chrift, without refpecting any thing in him, or about him, as a qualification for that purpofe: but adds, that the spirit and temper of the Writer (which, indeed, were none of the most engaging+] equally disgusted him.

As the points here treated of, are fuch as will admit of much being faid on both fides, without coming to an abfolute determination on either; we fhall wave entering into the merits of the question, and only add the prefent Author's notion of justifying Faith, as we have it at p 7, where he propoles to confult the facred Writers on "the nature and effential properties of faving Faith '-But before he begins, he makes the following obfervation, as the ground-work of his plan: When I fpeak (fays he) of juftifying Faith, or of

Sce Review, vo!. XVII, page 198.

Pp 4

+b.1,200,

Faith

Faith as juftifying, I no where intend or mean that we are juftified for or on the account of any a of ours, let it be called the fimple belief of the truth, or whatever else you please ;but folely on the account of the righteoufnefs of Christ, believed on, or trufled in by the awakened and guilty Sinner, as his only ground of hope before a holy and juft God.'At page 48, the Reader will find fome notice taken of Mr. Pike's late piece, entitled, Free Grace indeed! with which our Author feems to be fomewhat difpleated;-as he probably will be with most of Mr. Pike's future publications, fo far as we can foresee at present.

See Review, p. 170, of the prefent volume.

P

Art. 16. Sermons on practical Chriftianity. By Henry Stebbing, D. D. Archdeacon of Wilts, &c. 8vo. vol. IId.* 5s. fewed. Davis.

Thefe are plain, fenfible Difcourfes, intended, as the Doctor fays, to promote fobriety, honefty, religion and piety towards God, and peace and good-will among men, and which the public, he hopes, will receive with candour, as the laft tribute of his fervices, that he fhall ever be able to pay. The Difcourfes are chiefly practical, interfperfed with a few of the theological kind-on Chrift's divine miffion-the atonement made by his death and fufferings-his refurrection-the miffion of the Holy Ghoft to be our Guide and Comforter -the Afcenfion of Chrift into heaven, to be our Mediator, and (hereafter) our Judge.

The Doctor's manner of writing being well known, and there being nothing in this fecond volume of his Difcourfes that renders a particular account neceffary, our Readers, we hope, will be fatisfied with the little we have faid of it.

For the first volume, fee Review, vol. XX. p. 477.

R

Art. 17. Sermons on feveral Subjects. By James Mufcut, M. A. late Rector of Little Staughton in Bedfordshire, and formerly Fellow of Corpus-Chrifti College, Oxford. 8vo. 5s. fewed. Whifton, &c.

Moft of thefe Difcourfes, we are told, were drawn up for the use and improvement of a private congregation, without any view to their being publifhed, and are offered to the public merely to raife fome fmall fupply for a numerous family, which the Author himself, from his circumftances and fituation in life, was unable to provide for. The fubjects of them are principally thefe following-the Refurrection-the State of religious Knowlege in the Gentile world, and under the Jewish Difpenfation, compared with the Gospel Light our Saviour's Paffion-the duty of Watchfulness-public Worfhip-brotherly Love-Education-and the Confequences of Sin.As to the merit of the Sermons, we fhall only fay, that it is fuperior that of many Difcouries, which have been compofed with a view

to

to their publication: the Author's language is clear and eafy, and his fentiments are just and folid.

R

Art. 18. The Doctrine of a particular Providence flated, confirmed, defended, and applied. In two Sermons preached before the University of Oxford, April 20, 1760. By William Dodwell, D. D. Canon Refidentiary of Sarum. 8vo. Is. Henry Payne..

The Door endeavours to flate the notion of a particular Providence-to prove the certainty of it-to clear it from the objections usually brought again't it—and to apply it to the direction, improvement, and fupport of our moral conduct.- A particular Providence,' fays he, is that exertion of the divine attributes over all the works of the creation, by which every partaker of human nature can confider himself as the immed ate object of the divine care, and subject of the divine government. It is that government of all events by which we believe that nothing can happen independently of the Supreme Being; that no perfon is above his influence, or beneath his notice, and that therefore every event that befalls us, comes by his direction or permiflion; that the use of it is under his regard, and will meet with his cenfure or approbation.'

Such is the Doctor's notion of a particular Providence: a great deal of what he advances in order to prove the certainty of it, is very jut and fenfible, tho' he does not appear to have treated the fubject with that perfpicuity, accuracy, and strength, which the great importance of it deferves.

Art. 19. An Effay on the Beauty of the Divine Oeconomy.

R

Be

ing the Subftance of a Sermon (with many and large Additions) preached at the Vifitation of the Lord Bishop of Winchester, held by the Worshipful and Reverend Dr. John Hoadley, Chancellor of the Diocefe, on Tuesday September 18, 1759, at the Cathedral Church of Winchester; and published at the Defire of Mr. Chancellor and the Clergy. By Henry Taylor, M. A. Rector of Crawley, and Vicar of Portsmouth. 8vo. IS. Wilkie.

In this Effay the Author goes through a regular feries of the most remarkable vents that have ever happened, in order to fhew, that e they are parts of the great defign of Providence, to spread through the world the knowlege of the Supreme God, and the history of his government over the affairs of men; in order to erect and establish, in his own time, the kingdom of the MESSIAH, and bring all good and virtuous men to everlafting happiness, in one glorious fociety, under CHRIST their Lord and King.

Dr. Law's excellent book on this fubject, intitled, Confiderations on the Theory of Religion, did not come into our Author's hands. he tells us, till his Effay was finished. I have read it,' fays Mr. Taylor, with great pleafure and fatisfaction, and as it came into my hands

• too

too late to make a proper use of in this Effay, I can only recommend it to the perufal of fuch as fhall defire a compleat knowlege of this fubject. They will there find many of the facts and principles, which I have briefly confidered, more fully established; and the whole fubject of the divine Oeconomy, in regard to the feveral ⚫ revelations given to mankind, treated with great learning and • judgment.'

R Art. 20. A Supplement to the foort Explanation of the End and Defign of the Lord's Supper. Being an Answer to fome Quef tions or Cafes of Confcience relating to that Inftitution. By John Mears, M. A. 12mo. 6d. Johnston.

In a small treatise lately published, intitled, a fhort Explanation of the End and Defign of the Lord's Supper, with a Preface recommending a due attendance on that facred inftitution, our Author endea voured to explain the nature of it, and to fhew, that it is, indeed, a divine appointment, and a wife and reasonable one, and which, therefore all who believe the Chriftian religion fhould make confcience of observing as they have opportunity. He fhewed likewife, with what temper and difpofition of mind, with what meditations and affections, we fhould partake of it; and endeavoured to guard Chriftians against the abuse of it, warning them against the extremes of coming to the Lord's table in a carelefs irreverent manner, or from undue motives, on the one hand; or with a flavish fear and terror, and with reluctancy and doubtfulness of mind, on the other.

What he intends in this fequel is, to coufider a few questions, or cafes of confcience, that have been, or may be, propofed, relating to this inflitution, in order farther to illuftrate the nature and defign of it, and encourage Chriftians to attend upon it with the greater fatisfaction of mind. I he whole of what he advances is very rational and judiciou, and will give pleasure and fatisfaction to every ferious and well-disposed Reader.

Review, Vol. XIX. page 604.

R

To the AUTHORS of the MONTHLY REVIEW.
GENTLEMEN,

F you think your Readers may be concerned in the apologies and

tice of them in fome future Review.

for fakes you no

Your account of the new Office of Baptifm, in the last Article of the Appendix vol. XXI: tho' fhort, is full. The length of the Office is (as you fay) enormous, and would be found generally inconvenient, if used strictly as a form.My fenfe of its novelty and import20ance, led me to produce it in the mixed garb of a Treatife and Of fice; and prefuming on the candid Reader's indulgence to the im

perfections

perfections of an original compofition, I was follicited to obviate the feverity of Criticifm by this declaration in the Preface, page 6." It now appears, after many ferious revifals, to obtain the correction "and amendments of thofe to whom it may prove in any degree acceptable as an effay towards a better adminiftration and ufe of an "inftitution of the Chriftian Religion."

64

Your flrictures, Gentlemen, on the ftile, I believe to be just, and the very fama I expected you would make. This fault in the com pofition is the Author's infelicity--se guflibus non eft difputandum:Nor fhall I regret the appearance of my poor Effay in its prefent ftiff and hard-laboured tile, if it may provoke the pen of any perfon who approves its fentiment, defign, and tendency, to dress it in a flile more acceptable to the refined taste of the Reviewers, and in the eafy flowing language which is peculiarly defirable and fit for fubjects of the devotional Kind,

Permit me, Gentlemen, to mention my great concern for the accident which may have prevented your intention, as it left you no room for giving your own featiments upon the fubject of this Effay I have not forgot my promife to the public, and would thankfully repeat it, by the favour of your communication, viz." I have more and greater cafons (i. e. for this publication) which the "Author is willing and ready to produce for the fatisfaction of any honest and worthy perfon who may call for them, with a fober and candid fp.it, fuch as the dignity of the fubject demands, and the "importance of the enquiry dictates."

Taunton,
2d May, 1760.

I am, learned and worthy Gentlemen, your very refpectful humble fervant, RICHARD HARRISON.

I'

To the WRITERS of the MONTHLY REVIEW. GENTLEMEN,

F it be confiftent with your rules of publication, I should be glad if you would please to infert the following Letter to Mr. SPEARMAN; as I know not otherwife how, fo well, to convey it to him.

SIR,

THE importance of the fubject of your Letters made me defirous to fee them as foon as poffible: I had pleafure in perufing them; and could not but be forry to find myself fallen under the cenfure of a Writer who appeared to be truly defirous to vindicate and illuftrate the genuine fcriptures of the Old Teftament. That the printed Hebrew text is not altogether genuine, I have declared to be my opinion; but as to the fatal confequence which you mention may attend any hypothefis I have endeavoured to defend, (page 295) I am not

• Mr. Spearman's Letters will be mentioned in a future Review,

yet