the house, directed by Mutius Scævo- The clerk read. Tullus Aufidius then faid, I have given all poffible attention to the contents of the papers which lie on your table, but I have not been able to difcover in them a fingle fyllable that relates to that head of your addrefs, which has been this moment read. Not a word of any claim or propofition 5 made by Spain, nor of any answer made to fuck claim or propofition by our ministry, is to be found from the beginning to the end of these barren extracts. What inference are we to draw from this circumftance? are we to conclude that this affair was of too fecret a nature to be made public, that we were not worthy of an answer, or that the minifters, in order to give fome colour to their caufe, were obliged to conceal certain papers entirely, and to garble and mutilate thofe which they have produced? thefe queftions feem to me to require an answer; and, were the director of the minifteriál operations to well qualified for his office as he would be thought, he would have informed us at once of what was wanting, and of the cause of that want. He knew that we had ordered a more plentiful bill of fare, and he was the proveditor. Yet, though he furnished our table with one courfe lefs than we defired, and that the first courfe too, he did not fay a word about the matter. Not a fyllable of apology came from his lips. Whence is this taciturnity? was he afraid of touching a ftring, which in his hands would give but a jarring found? and did he imagine, that, if he allowed it to fleep, we would not wake it? a great minifter will fcorn all fubterfuges and evafions. Confcious of the rectitude of his intentions, and the wifdom of his meafures, he will always be frank and open, and difdain the little crooked politics of a Carthaginian or Frenchman. He will act with the fpirit and magnanimity of an ancient Roman or an Englishman." Mutius Scævola answered thus: IT would be to little purpose to give a particular anfwer to every infinuation thrown out by the gentleman who spoke last. It is an eafy matter to advance charges, and to speak long and plaufibly against a minifter; becaufe a perfon may affign many and various caufes for his condu& in any particular inftance, without ever ftumbling on the true one. What, for example, was more cafy and natural than to account for the want of papers, relative to the claim of Spain, by fuppofing that no fuch claims were ever made; or that if they were, made verbally, without the intervention of paper, pen, and and ink? yet the ingenuity of an adverfary could never hit on this expedient for faving the honour of a minifter. In my own vindication, however, I muft affert, that this is the real ftate of the cafe. Diligent fearch was made in the two offices, for the papers in queftion, but none could be found. How then are the minifters blameable for not producing, what does not, and probably never did, exift, and what, therefore, could not be produced ?" Tullus Aufidius replied, I cannot conceive why the fubftance of the converfation, that paffed between the Spanish and English miniftry, on the fubject, might not be laid before the affembly. The addrefs does not feem to me to call only for papers, but also for all claims and requifitions made by Spain by word of mouth. If any claims be made, they muft have been known to his majesty, and he could not yet have forgot what minifters were concerned in the affair. Thefe queftions must be answered, elfe we cannot help concluding, that it was judged fafe to let us know but half, and that the most infignificant half, of the truth." On this Lucius Cibo (L-d B-p) obferved: Mr. Prefident, Sir, I wonder to hear gentlemen fo earneft for other papers befides thofe which lie upon the table, when they have already fufficient before them to judge of the conduct of administration in this negociation; the fingle queftion is whether we fhould or should not thank the king for the convention whether we fhould beftow cenfure or approbation upon the miniftry for their conduct in this affair? injuries may be received, and even acts of hoftility ufed towards us, without a neceffity of our recurring to an immediate retaliation; otherwife from the various and perpetual jarring interefts of different powers at this day in Europe, it would be impoffible that any peace hould ever last three months; gentlemen might affect to compare the convention 1739 with the prefent, but in my opinion the cafe was widely different; for England had then been infuit. ed very offenfively, varioufly and generally by Spain, whereas the prefent is a very flight affront, and only in one particular inftance; befides, our fituation How is very different from what it has 1 been; we are now without any foreign alliances whatever, and this circumftance certainly makes it very neceffary to negociate; the convention has fettled nothing as to the matter of right, and Spain itself has with very earnest intreaty to France defired the prefent negociation. Gentlemen furely cannot with to extend our prefent moft extenfive dominion, at leaft for fome time; we may furely repofe ourselves with patience for fome time under the laurels acquired by our countrymen in the laft war: I do not deny but that the honour of the nation ought to be. held very facred, but infift that in this cafe England had been the aggreffor; we made a fettlement in a time of profound peace, in thofe parts which Spain had always claimed as its right; in thofe parts where even France, its dofe friend and ally, had been forced to relinquish her fettlements; it was therefore no wonder if Spain beheld with a more jealous eye the fettlement of a natural enemy than of a natural friend. Gentlemen may, if they pleafe, harangue upon the vast expence attend ing our armament, on the fufpenfion of our trade, and on our right being ftill lefs undetermined: gentlemen may fay that the king of Spain had not yet confented to difavow the feizure of Falkland Island, and fay also that the convention is only adopting a French meafure, and fubmitting to an ignominious French interference; but I hope this houfe will pay fmall regard to fuch infinuations; Thope itwill think the very endeavours to preferve peaceat this time, whether fuccesful or not, whether the convention fhall be ratified or not, deferving of an addrefs of thanks; which he therefore moved. The motion for an address having been feconded, Mr. N▬▬▬ faid, Mr. Prefident, Sir, I cannot agree entirely in opinion either with the one fide of the house or with the other: I have my own opi nion. Gentlemen may fay that this declaration thews in me fome expectation, dependence, or views, and that I am in want of fome provifion, and take this opportunity to lay out for an offer; but when I look at my coat I find it a very decent one; I feel myfelf very warm and comfortable; I never knew the time when I wanted, and I 1 never will want, a spare coat. I have been in the country, and know nothing of what has paffed here in town refpecting this matter I give opinions formed in my closet and by my firefide whether they are approved or difapproved, I care not: I give them independently as I act, and I think I fhould be unworthy the character of a fenator, if I had any other motives for delivering my fentiments. [To be continued in our next.] Obfervations on Exodus, Chap. vi. Verse 4. THE HE text runs thus, ".-I appeared unto Abraham, unto Ifaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them." Now the first observation I would make, is, that from this verfe it has been fuppofed, even by men of learning and abilities, God was not known by his name Jehovah till Mofes was appoint. ed ambailador to Pharaoh; because this is the first time, in our English bible, we meet with the Hebrew word Jehovah, and not rendered as in other places LORD. But what then? fince every intelligent perfon knows, that wherever the word Lord in the English bible is written in capitals, in the Hebrew it is Jehovah, and always has that fignification. Such being the cafe then, Genefis, chap. iv. verfe 1. will inform us, that the name Jehovah was known even to Eve. And that it was known to Abraham, confult chap. xii. ver. 7, 8. Several paffages alfo in chap. iii, xv, &c. of Exodus are in evidence that Jehovah was known to Abraham, to Ifaac, and to Jacob. Though I am fenfible it may be objected, that when Mofes writ the book of Genefis, whether that was done while he was in Midian, as Eufebius imagines, or afterwards, the name Jehovah was familiar to him; and that he chofe to make use thereof by way of eminence and therefore no proof at all that the name Jehovah was known to Abraham. To which I would answer; Mofes being a correct writer, efpecially of narrative, it must appear very wonderful that he fhould fay, Genefis, xviii. 14. when the Lord, or the angel of the Lord, appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, concern ing the matter of Sarah, "Is any thing too hard for mn Jehovah," for fo it is in the Hebrew, which no one furely will fay meant the angel who talked with Abraham-I fay, would Mofes have used the name Jehovah, if that name was unknown to Abraham ? fince he might as well have faid Elohim na or rather Shaddai, which fignifies omnipotence; as he was then speaking of the unlimited power of God. I should therefore fuppofe that the name Jehovah was not unknown to Abraham. Yet fhould the common reading, "but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them," be contended for; I am humbly of opinion, that it should only be taken in a limited, and not in the ftrictest fenfe. And that for the following reafon, namely, because the root p¬› jadagn, to know, fignifies alfo to diftinguish, fee 2 Samuel xix. 35. It likewise means to favour, and that in a great number of places in the facred hiftory. Therefore I fuppofe, all which can fairly be understood by God's not having been known to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, is that neither of them had fuch a full and diftinguishing difcovery of the eternal felf-exiftence of God, as well as of his power, as Mofes had been favoured with; who converfed with God in a friendly and familiar manner; and who, it should be remarked, was to fuftain a fuperior character to any of the patriarchs; for which reafon he had just received miraculous manifeftations, in order to fupport his own faith in fulfilling his commiflion before the king of Egypt, who could moft daringly fay, "who is the Lord (Jehovah) that I fhould obey him?" Exodus v. 2. Agreeable to which reafoning, we find in the New Teftament many very different manifestations of deity; but none equal to thofe made to our Lord Jefus Chritt, who had the spirit without measure; and was also a prophet like unto Miofes. But fecondly, Whereas it is certain that the primary fignification of the word Jehovah is to express the effence of his fupreme being, or his felf-exiftence, and confequently that he is omniprefent and eternal-and whereas Mofes was ordered, Exodus iii. 14. to fay to the children of Ifrael, I AM THAT I AM, hath fent me unto you; (which, by the way, would have been no enforcement to them had they known nothing of the meaning of I AM, or Jehovah) it must I think appear from thefe confiderations, that the name Jehovah was not then fo new as fome would fuppofe it. This indeed feems very evident, viz. it was not poffible any other peculiar name of the one great God, not even excepting that of Shaddai, could have been fo properly appointed for Mofes to ufe, as Jehovah, in the extraordinary commiflion he was foon to execute. And this feems to be the reason why the word Jehovah is retained in our English bibles, rather than by the tranflated term LORD, in the text we are now confidering. Thirdly. It should feem that the punctuation of this verfe, in our bibles, is not right, there being only a comma at Almighty-whereas the He. brew certainly directs a fuller and more fignificant paufe; which will be evident on a review thereof. I apprehend by fo fmall a point as that of a comma only, the verfe lofes very much of its beauty, as well as energy; for as it now ftands, I think it not only enfeebled, but also that it leads to a wrong idea, which perhaps may appear more fully by confidering, Fourthly, That the words fucceeding almighty, are "but by my name Jehovah was I not known unto them," which, as before obferved, has created the opinion, that this name Jehovah was not known before this new difcovery thereof to Mofes. But I confefs I am not of that fentiment-for the conjunction vau, which in the text is rendered but, might as well have been tranflated and, or with yet more propriety, like wife, or moreover. Now if the verfe had been more fully divided, and the latter part taken interrogatively, which furely had been a very natural and easy reading, and which I am inclined to believe the right; it would have produced a most noble climax, and have conveyed an idea, which to me feems more agreeable to reafon and truth. For then we fhould have read thus, "I appeared unto Abraham, unto Ifaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty; (or El Shaddai) moreover, by my name JEHOVAH WAS I not known unto them? (or, was I not moreover by my name Jehovah known unto them?) Which reading most admirably coin cides with, the declaration in the following verfes," and I have also establithed my covenant with them, &c.whereby is plainly indicated, that when the covenant was made with them, they had not only belief, but also a knowledge of the eternal immutable existence of God; or in other words, they knew Jehovah. Fifthly. As this verfe now ftands, the expreffion," but by my name Jehovah, &c." feems entirely parenthetical, and of no very fignificant confequence; whereas, for God to declare to Mofes, how he had aforetime manifested himself to Abraham, &c. could not fail to filence, or put a negative upon every objection Mofes might be difpofed to make concerning his important meffage to Pharaoh. Therefore upon the whole, I do not fuppofe but that God was known to Abraham, &c. even by his character Jehovah, or the one eternal, immutable, felf-exiftent Being, though not altogether in fo remarkable and dif tinguifhing a manner, (which, confidering circumftances, was not fo neceflary) as he was to Mofes, the meffenger of omnipotence to Pharaoh, and the divine law-giver to the children of Ifrael. I am, Sir, your's, &c. THEOPHILUS. As we make no doubt the numerous friends of the late Reverend Mr. GEORGE WHITEFIELD will be glad of an opportunity of feeing a genuine copy of his last will and teftament; his executors have favoured us with a copy of the fame, transmitted to them from the Orphan-House in Georgia, and which they have proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. And as it was Mr. Whitefield's conftant declaration he never meant to raife either a purfe or a party, it is to be remarked, that almoft the whole money he died poffeffed of came to him within two or three years of his death in the following manner, viz. Mr. Thomson, of Tower-hill, bequeathed him 500l. by the death of his wife, including a bond of 300l. he got 700l. Mr. Whitmore bequeathed him rool. and Mr. Winder 100l. and it is highly probable, that had he liv ed to reach Georgia from his late northern tour, he would have much leflened the above fums by difpofing of them in the fame noble and dif interested interested manner that all the public or private fums he has been entrufted with have been. Georgia. By his excellency James Wright, Efq; captain general, governor and commander in chief of his majesty's faid province of Georgia, chancellor and vice-admiral of the fame. To all to whom thefe prefents fhall come greeting; know ye, that Thomas Moody, who hath certified the annexed copy from the original, in the fecretary's 'office, is deputy fecretary of the faid province, and therefore all due faith and credit is, and ought to be had, and given to fuch his certificate. In teftimony whereof, I have hereunto fet my hand, and caufed the great feal of this, his majefty's faid province to be put and affixed. Dated at Savannah the tenth day of December in the year of our Lord 1770, and in the eleventh year of the reign of his majesty King George the Third. By his excellency's command. J. WRIGHT. THO. MOODIE, D. Secretary. Copy of the Transcript of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield's Will, tranfmitted from the Regifry of the Mayor'sCourt, at Georgia, in order to be proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, which was accordingly done Yefterday. I N the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, three Perfons, but one God; I George Whitefield, clerk, at prefent refiding at the Orphan-houfe academy, in the province of Georgia, in North America, being thro' infinite mercy in more than ordinarily bodily health, and a perfectly found and difpofing mind, knowing the certainty of death, and yet the uncertainty of the time I fhall be called by it to my long withed-for home, to make this my last will and Teftament, in manner and form following, viz. imprimis, in fure and certain hope of a refurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, I commit my body to the duft, to be buried in the mott plain and decent manner; and knowing in whom I have believed, and being - perfuaded that he will keep that which i have committed unto him, in the fulleft affurance of faith I commend Feb. 1771. my foul into the hands of the everloving, altogether lovely, never failing Jefus, on whofe complete and everiafting righteoufnefs I entirely depend, for the juftification of my perfon and acceptance of my poor, worthless, though, I truft, fincere performances, at that day when he ihall come in the glory of his Father, his own glory, and the glory of his holy angels, to judge both the quick and dead. In respect to my outward, American concerns, which I have engaged in fimply and folely for his great name's fake, I leave that building, commonly called the OrphanHoufe, at Bethesda, in the province of Georgia, together with all the other buildings lately erected thereon, and likewife all other buildings, lands, negroes, books, furniture, and every other thing whatsoever which I now ftand poffeffed of in the province of Georgia aforelaid, to that elect lady, that mother in Ifrael, that mirror of true and undefiled religion, the Right Honourable Selina, Countefs Dowager of Huntingdon, defiring that as foon as may be after my decease, the plan of the intended Orphan-houfe, Bethesda College, may be profecuted, or, if not practicable, or eligible, to pursue the prefent plan of the Orphan-Houfe academy, on its old foundation and ufual channel; but if her ladyfhip fhould be called to enter into her glorious reft before my decease, I bequeath all the buildings, lands, negroes, and every thing before-mentioned, which I now itand poffeffed of in the province of Georgia aforefaid, to my dear first fellowtraveller, and faithful, invariable friend, the honourable James Haber. fham, Efq. prefident of his majesty's honourable council; and fhould he furvive her ladyfhip, I earnestly recommend him, as the most proper perfon to fucceed her ladyfhip, or to act for her during her ladyship's lifetime, in the affairs of the OrphanHoufe academy. With regard to my outward affairs in England; whereas there is a building commonly called the Tabernacle, fet apart many years ago for divine worship, I give and bequeath my faid tabernacle, with the adjacent houfe in which I ufually refide, when in London, with the stable and coach-house, in the yard adjoining, 1 together |