PRINCETON, N. J. % 5-/5^^. sec #11416 Disney, John, 1746-1816. Memoirs of the life and writings of John J D.D. I ivumoer rf ft. »«»%«« ^ PBINCETOlSr, N. J. 5/4^^. sec #11,116 Disney, John, 1746-1816. Memoirs of the life and writings of John J D.D. / .... isumoer MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS O F JOHN J O R T I N, D.D BY JOHN DISNEY, D.D.F.S.A. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. J O H M S O N, N^. 72. ST. Paul's church-yard. M DCC XCIL '' Scripture/' fa)^ the proteftants^ ^^ is the only ruk *' of faith in matters pertaining to revealed reli- *' gion, and they fay well. There is no other " chriftianity than this ; no other tefl of dodlrines *' than this -, no other centre of union than thi«. *' Whatfoever is not clearly delivered there, *' m^yht t7'ue, hwt cz.nnQth^ important, YImq. MEA EST SENTENTIA, NEQVE ME EX EA VLLIVS VNQ\\^M AVT DOCTI AVT INDOCTI MOVEBIT OR AT 10.'* Jortin*s Remarks on E. H. vol. iii. p. 85 ajid 86, ( iil ) P R E F A C E. THE life of a Jiterary man is chiefly de- voted to his labors in the republic of letters, and therefore feldom affords any variety of incident unconneded with his writings. On this account, thefe are the proper objeds of his biographer's attention, and it becomes his duty .to commend, or cenfure, as he con- ceives them to deferve praife, or hlam.e, re- Ipedively. In the delineation of literary chara we are drawn to the conlideration of the dif- ferent degrees and deipartments of ufeful learning, and the honeft application of it to the advancement of truth, an.d the general happinefs of mankind. In this view, the bbors of our author are truly refpedable ; A 2 they iv PREFACE. they are the produce of great abilities, and real learning ; they difcover all the marks of true genius and tafle ; they were intended, iind are well calculated, to forward the better knowledge of the chrlinan difpenfation, to enlarge our chridian charity and our chriftian liberty, and to promote the praftice of virtue in every fituation of life. It will anfvver the moft ianguine expeo:a- tion of the prefent biographer of Dr. Jortin, . if he (liall be the means of introducing his readers to a more o-eneral acquaintance with O J. his author. Few men, however learned or however excellent, will be able to perufe the works of Dr. Jortin, v/ithcut having their minds informed, and their tempers improved^ their vicvv's of religion and virtue enlarged, and their good principles confirmed. • Dr. Jortin, it is apprehended, fenfibly felt the Want of that liberty which is eflential to the profefiion of genuine chriflianity. For though this fentiment is not expreffed, in the terms of complaint or remonftrance, it PREFACE. V It may frequently be difcovered in incidental obfervations, in many parts of his writings. The difficulties, however, which, upon this prefumption, may be fuppofed to have lain in his way of accepting preferment upon the terms which the church of England re- quires of her minifters, do not appear to have prefented themfelves to his mind, with the fame force they have done to others. But, though this may furprife fome perfons, and I do not undertake to be his apologift in this matter, neverthclefs it is not to be confidered as a juft caufe of indifcriminate reproach. When principles are entertained, in confequence of examination and inquiry, which militate againft our own early preju- dices and the eftablifhed pracfcicc of our fa- thers, embarraffments of various kinds im^- pede the adoption of them in their full extent; and it may frequently be obferved that the obligation and confequences of fuch convic- tions are found to be a diftincft and labfe- quent confideration, and do not equally afFedt the different perfons concerned in th-m. Be •ri PREFACE. Be this as it may, with refped: to our au- thor j it will be fufficient for his readers to benefit by his abilities, his genius, and his learning, from a careful perufai of his writ- ings; and to apply the refalt of tlieir reading, according as the unprejudiced judgment of each fliall dired:. Where he affords them light, they will do well to follow it, and to improve it. If Dr. Jortin's theological opi- nions were not in perfedl conformity with his fubfcriptions, (as others underftand the for- mularies referred to,) that was his perfonal concern ; and whether the dogmas of that church, of which he was a member, are agreeable to the word of God, and confiflentiy required of protefl:ants,it very nearly concerns the ftate to inquire. As ilie hath already in- terpofed her authority, {he alone is now competent to corred her own great error; for this mo^ defirable reformation can only be effeded by expunging from her laws every ftatute that prefumes to impofe upon the con- fciences of her fubjeds, or to retrench that li- berty wherewith Chrift hath made them free, CONTENTS. ( vii ) CONTENTS. C H A P T E R I. Mr. Jortin's birth \ education ; elected, fellow of Jefus college Cambridge ; enters into orders ; ' prefented to the vicarage of Swavefey near Cann- bridge; marries j refigns Swavefey; appointed preacher at a chapel in New flreet, London j his early publications. 1698 — 1730. p. i. CHAP. ir. The publication of his *^ Mifcellaneous obfervations on ancient and modern authors/' his " Remarks on Spencer and Milton ;'* and thofe on '^ Se- xieca." 1731—1734. p. 17. CHAP. III. Prefented to die vicarage of Eaftwell in Kent; ap- pointed afternoon-preacher at the chapel in Ox^- enden flreet, London, i publiflies his *^ Difcourfes concerning the truth of the chriftian religion]'* appointed afternoon-preacher at Lincoln's Inn ; pubiifhes a " fermon preached at the confecration of bifnop Pearcci" appointed Boyle's lecturer, pubiifhes the firft volume of his " Remarks on ccclefiaftical hiflory/' prefented to the rectory of St. Dunflan in the ealt. 1737 — 175 1. p. 28. CHAP. IV. Pubiiflies the fecond volume of his ^' Remarks on. ecclefiaflical hiftory /' alfo fliort ^^ Mifcellaneous remarks viil CONTENTS. remarks on the fermons of archbifhop Tillot- fon j" and "a Letter on the mufic of the an- cients/' publiihes the third volume of his ^^ Re- marks oh ecclefiaftical hiflory.'' J 75 2 — 1754. p. ^^, CHAP. V. Admitted to the degree of do6lor in divinity at I^ambethi publiihes his " Six difTertations upon different fubjeds." 1755. p. 159. CHAP, vr. Publiihes his "Life of ErafmuSi" 1758 — 1750. p. 229. CHAP. vir. Collated to a prebend in St. PauFs. the vicarape of Kenfington^ and archdeaconry of London ; pub- liihes "-^ Some rem.arks upon Phillips's life of cardinal Polci'' and a fecond edition of the firft three volumes of his " Remarks on ecclefiaftical hiftoiy," in two volumes ; his death and charac- ter. 1762— 1770- p. 258. CHAP. VIII. The publication of his pofthumous works, his " Sermons and charges," in 177 1 and 1772; — the third and fourth volume of his " Remarks on ecclefiaftical hiftory," in 1773 j and fome new pieces in a republication of his '' IVads, phi- lological, critical^ and mifcdlaneous,/' in 1790. p. 2.86. CHAPTER I, Mr. Jortin's birth ; education •, ele6led fellow of Jefus college Cambridge ; enters into orders •, prefented to the vicarage of Swavciey near Cambridge ; marries ; refigns Swavefey ; ap- pointed preacher at a Chapel in New-flreet, London 5 his early publications. 1698 — 1 730. John JoRTiN,thefubjedlof thefemcmoirs, was born in the parifh of St. Giles in the fields in the county of Middlefcx, Odober 23, 1698, His fatha*, Renatus Jortin, was a native of Bretagne in France, and had fludied at Saumur. His tefti.monial from that aca- demy is dated 1682, and is now ^i; the pofleffion o{ his defcendents. He came into England a young man, along with his father, uncle, two aunts, and two fifters, B about ( * ) about the year 1685, when the proteftants fled from France, on account of the revoca- tion of the edid of Nantz by Lewis the fourteenth. Soon after his fettlement in this country, he married Martha daughter of the rev. Daniel Rogers of Haverfhani in Buck- inghamfhire, who defcended from a family of the fame name that refided at Lees near Chelmsford in EiTex, in the reign of Henry the eighth, and had produced fome clergy- men, diftinguiflied by their abilities and learning. Mr. Renatus Jortin was appointed one of the gentlemen of the privy chamber to king William the third, in the year 1691*3 and was * " After this, and before I was born, (fays Dr. Jortin in his Adverfaria) he took a fancy to change his name into JoRDAiN, and to give it an Englifh appearance ; being fond I fuppofe of pafling for an Enghfhman, as he fpoke Englifh perfe6tly, and without any foreign accent. This gave me fome trouble afterwards when 1 went into deacon's orders under bifhop Kennet, for the regifter of St. Giles in the fields wrote my name, as it flood there, yordain. I gave the bifhop an account how it came to pafs. After my father's death, my piother thought it proper ( 3 ) was, afterwards, facccflively fecretaiy to ad- miral Edward Ruflell earl of Orford, fir George Rooke, and fir Cloudeflfey Shovel ; and perifhed with the latter when his fhlp unfortunately ftruck upon the rocks, called ^' the bifhop and his clerks," off Scilly, Odlober 22, 1707. After this melancholy event, Mrs. Jortia removed into the neighbourhood of the charter- houfe, the better to accommodate the education of her fon, who was now nine years of age, and fent him to that feminary as a day-fcholar. He learned French at iiome, and fpake it well. At the age of fifteen he had completed hk clafncai ftu- dies at fchool, after which he remained at home about a year, and perfected himfelf in writing and arithmetic. On the J 6th of May 1715, he was ad- mitted penfion^r of Jefus college in Cam- B 2 bridge ; proper to afFume the true name of Jortin s and fhe and I always wrote it fo. *' I did not think there was any perfon left of our name, till lately (1770) I found in a newf-paper, that a mer- chantman came to one of our ports, commanded by cap- tain Jortin, from the Weft-Indies.'* ( ,4 ) bridge; and diftingujiflied himfelf fo mucli by his abilities and application, that whilft he was an undergraduate, he was engaged by the repornmendation of hjs tutor, the learned Dr. Styan Thirlby, to tranflajte fomp of Euftg^thius^s note? on Homer for Mr. Pope*o Dr. * Mr. Fenton, in a letter to Mr. Pope, fays, " I have received a fpecimen of the extra6ts from Euflathius, The firft gentleman who undertook the affair, grevi^ vi^eary, and now Mr. Thirlby, of Jefus, has recommended another to me with a very great character. I think, indeed, at firft fight, that his performance is commendable enough, and have fent word for him to finifh the feventeenth book, and to fend it, with his demands for his trouble. He engageth to complete a book every month till chriffmas, and the re- maining books in a month more, if you require them.'* See " Additions to the works of A. Pope, Efq. 1776.'' vol. ii. p. 106. Mr. Jortin's own account of his concern in this bufmefs, from his manufcript papers, as I find it in Nichols's '.' Anecdotes of Bowyer." p. 258. Note *. and in the 2d vol. of his Tra61:s5 Szc. p. 519 — 521. will be perfeiSlly fatlsfaclory. " What palTed between Mr. Pope and me, I Iwill endeavour to recollect, as well as I can ; for it hap- pened many years ago, and I never made any memorandum of it. When I was a foph at Cambridge, Pope was about his tranilation of Homer's Ilias, and had publifhed part ofit. «« He ( 5 ) Dr. Samuel Johnfon, ih his lives of thd poets, has ta;ken notice of this circumftance, but with all the acrimony toWard.s Pope and coldnefs towards Jortin which afe fo fre- quently to be found in his writings, when he B 3 is *' He employed fome perfon (I know hot who he was) to make extracts for him from Euftathius,^ which he in- ferted in his notes. At that time there was no latin traH- flation of that commentator, Alexander Politic (if I re- member right, began that work fome years afterwards, but hever proceeded far in it. The perfon employed by Mr, Pope was not at leifure to go on with tlie work ; and Mr» Pope (by his bookfeller, I fuppofe) fent to Jefferies, a bookfeller at Cambridge, to find out a ftudent who Would undertake the tafk. Jefferies applied to Dr. Th^jflby, who was my tutor, and who pitched upon me. I would have declined the work, having, as I told my tutor, other ftudies to purfue, to fit me for taking my degree. But he,—* qui qukqiiid volebat valde volehat^-^v/ouid not hear of any excufe. So I complied. I cannot recollect what Mr, Pope allowed for e:ich book of Homer ; I have a hotiort that it was three or four guineas. I took as much care as I could to perform the tafk to his fatisfadlion : but I v.as afhamed to defire my tutor to give himfelf the trouble of overlooking my operations ; and he, who always ufed toi think and fpeak too favourably of me, faid, that I did not want his help. He never perufed one line of itj before it was printed; nor perhaps afterwards; « When ( 6 ) 1& fpeaking of men, in many refpedls, his fupc- riors. '' Notes," fays he, *' were hkewife to be provided j for the fix volumes would have been VQYy little more than li:x pamphlets without them. What the mere perufal of the text could fuggeft. Pope wanted no affiflance to Golled or methodize ; but more was neeeffary -, many " When I had gone through fomc books, (I forget bow many) Mr. Jcfferles let us know that Mr. Pope had a. friend to do the reft,, and that we might give over. " V/hen I fent my papers to Jefteries,. to be conveyed to Mr. Pope, I inferted, as I remember, fome remarks on a pafTage, where Mr. Pope, in my opinion, had made a miflake. But,, as I was not d"ire6tly employed by him, but by a bookfeller, I did not inform him who I was^ or fet my name to my papers! " When that part of Homer came outj in which I had" been concerned,. I was eager, as it may be fuppofed, to fee how things flood ; and much pleafed to find that he had not only ufed almofl all my notes,, but had hardly made any alteration in the expreflions, I obferved alfo, that in a. fubfequent editisn,. he corrected the place to which I had made objcvfHons. " I was in fome hopes in thofe days (for I was young)' that Mr. Pope would make inquiry about his coadjutor^ and take fome civil notice of him. But he did not ; and I had. no notion of obtruding m.yfelf upon him—I never faw his face.'' ( 7 ) many pages were to be filled, and learning niuft fupply materials to wit and judgment. Some* thing might be gathered from Dacier; but no man loves to be indebted to his contempo- raries, and Dacier was acceflible to common readers. Euftathius was therefore neceflarily confulted. To read Euftathius, of whofc work there was then no latin vcrfion, I fuf- pedt Pope, if he had been willing, not to have been able ; fome other was therefore to be found, who had leifure as well as abilities, and he Was doubtlefs moft readily employed who v/ould do much work for little money. ** The hiftory of the notes has never been traced. Broome, in his preface to his poems, declares himfelf the commentator in part upon the Iliad -^ and it appears from Fenton's letter, preferved in the Mufeum, that Broome was at firft engaged in confulting Eufta- thius ; but after a time, whatever was the reafon, he defifted : another man of Cam- bridge was then employed, who foon grew weary of the work ; and a third was re- commended by Thirlby, who is now dif- covered to have been J or tin, a man fince B 4 well ( 8 > well known to the learned world, who com- plained that Pope, having accepted and ap- proved his performance, never teflified any curiofity to fee him*". Mr. Pope began his tranflation of the Iliad with notes in 1712, his twenty fifth year, and concluded it in 171 8, his thirtieth year-f*. This circumftance afcertains with fufficient accuracy, that Mr. Jortin was not more than eighteen or nineteen years of age, when the good opinion of his tutor had re- commended him to this literary exercife. Mr. Jortin was admitted to the degree of bachelor of a?ts, in January 1718-19; and was eleded fellow of Jefus college Odtober 9, 1 72 1. He proceeded to take the degree of mafter of arts at the commencement 1722. On the tenth of Oftober 1722, Mr. Jortin was appointed one of the moderators, at the difputations in the fophs' fchool, and, at michaelmas in the fucceeding year, he w^aa eleded one of the taxors. The learned Dr, Edmund ^ Johnfon's "Lives of the Englifh Poets." vol. iv. 8vch pr. 42. and 4J. t lb. p, 44. ( 9 ; Edmund Law, late bifhop of Carlifle, who took his firft degree in arts 1723, told me, feme few years before his death, that he kept an opponency under Mr. Jortin when mode- rator, and though he was every way emi- nently qualified to difcharge the duty of his office^ was a man of few words. The bifliop added, however, in the courfe of our converfation, that, in confequence of that cxercife, Mr. Jortin recommended him ia the univerfity, and thereby laid the founda- tion of his future advancement. In the courfe of the year 1722, Mr. Jortin publiflied a few latin poems, which were well received, entitled *'Lufus Poetici," in a thin quarto of twenty four pages, with a preface: a fecond edition appeared in 1724, in a fmall odtavo :^ and a third in 1748, in quarto, * DXiring Mr. Jortin's refidence at Cambridge, a flupld and abufive poem was left at a cofFee-houfe, compofbd by one M******** of Sidney college, commonly called Sawney M******** ; In which a great many fcurrilous freedoms were taken with feveral poetical adventurers, and with Jortin among the reft, who wrote, at the bottom of this miferable performance, the following lines ; ( 10 ) quarto, printed by Bowyer,* with additional poems, but without the preface. His name is prefixed only to the firft edition 3 the two lafl were printed to be given to his friends, "f* Jn a more recent edition of his ** Lufus Poetici,** republilhed in the firft volume of *' Trails, &c."i79o (p. i — 53.) the editor has introduced five additional poems which were *^ found among the author's papers, and deemed not unworthy of a place amidft their predecefix)rs." At the end of the fame volume, (p. 460-470.) he has preferved fome tranflations from the originals. Dr. '' Angry reformer of the times! The lord have mercy on thy rhymes ! Thy verfes have an ague got, They are (o very cold and hot.'' t See Nichols's " Anecdotes of Bowyerj" p. 207. and p. 259. note ■^. t The Editor of Vincent Bourne's " Mifcellaneous poems," publillied in quarto, 1772. p. 314. has by miftake, reprinted with fome variations, the third ode of Jotin's, ^lalis per nefnoruniy Sec. as the produdion of Mr, Bourne, under the title of" Votum." See Gent's Mag. for 1776. p. 496. A beautiful trandation of this ode, fee " Trads" 6cc. vol. i. p. 461. ( II ) Dr. Vicefimus Knox, who is certainly a writer of clailic tafte, and one whom we fhall have occaiion to mention more than once in thefe memoirs, (fays In fome ** Curfory re- marks on the life and writings of Dr. Jortin,") that *' his latin poetry is clafTically elegant;" and has obferved that ** the firft efforts of genius have commonly been in poetry. Unreftrained by the frigidity of argument^ and the confinement of rules, the young mind gladly Indulges the flights of imagina- tion.* Cicero, as well as many other an^- cient phllofophers, orators, and hlftorians, is known to have facrifieed to the mufes In his earlier produftions. Dr. Jortin," fays he ** adds to the number of thofe who con- firm the obfervation. In his Liifiis Poetia\ one of the iirft of his w^orks, are united claf- fical * In confirmation of this remark,---'** Some of Milton's latin poems were written in his firft year at Cambridge, when he was only feventeen : they muft be allowed to be very corre6t and manly performances, for a youth of that age. And, confidered in that view, they difeover an extra- ordinary copioufnefs and command of ancient fable and hiftory." See Warton's Preface ( p. xviii ) to his edition of Miltoix's "Poems upon feveral occafions," 1785. ( 12 ) Ileal language, tender fentiment, and Har- monious verfe. Among the modern latin poets, there are few who do not yield to Dr. Jortin. His fapphics, on the ftory of Bacchus and Ariadne, are eafy, elegant, and poetical. The little ode, in which the calm life of the philofopher is compared to the gentle ftream gliding through a filent grove, is highly pleafing to the mind, and is perfectly elegant in the compoiitlon. The Lyrics are indeed all excellent. The poem on the immortality of the foul is ingenious^ poetical, and an exadl imitation of the ftyle of Lucretius. In fliort, the whole colledlion is fuch as would fcarcely have difgraced a Roman in the age of an Auguftus."* Mr. Jortin was ordained deacon by Dr^ White Kennet, biflhop of Peterborough^ September 22d. 1723 i and prieft by Dr. Thomas Greene, bi£hop of Ely, June 24. 1724. On the 2oth of January 1726-7, he was prefented by the mafter and fellows of Jefus college to the vicarage of Swavefej ne^r * See " EflTays moral and literary." vol. i. EITay xvlii- 2d. edit. 1779. or vol. ii. Eflay cxv. 4th. edit. 1784. ( 13 ; jQcar Gambrldge, and in January 1727-8, agreeably to the ftatutes, he refigned his fel- Jowfhip. About the month of February 1728, he married Ann daughter of Mr. Chibnall of Ncwport-Pagnell in Buckinghamfliire.* On the ift of February 1730-1, he refigned his yicarage of S wa vefey, and not long after fettled * In the firll volume of the " Mifcellaneous obferva- tions," p. 379. and in the firft volume of " Tracts" &c. p. 47. " the following infcription is fubmitted to the judg- ment of the learned." ^ It was republiihed, as we are in- formed by the very ingenious Mr, Thomas Warton, in his ,'* Infcriptionum Romanarum metricarum Deledlus." Lon- don, 1758 J as an ancient in(cnption, Insrcriptionis Fragmentum D. .M. * * * * * * * * « -* * * « * •* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * qyjE. TE. SVB. TENER.A. RAPVERVNT. PAETA. IVVEMTA. O. VTINAM. Mg. CRVDELIA. FATA. VOCEWT. VT. LlN(VyAM. TERRAS. INVISAQVE. LVMINA. SOLIS. VTQVE. TVVS. RVRSVM. CORPORE. SIM. POSITO. TV. CAVE. LETH-SO. CONTINGAS. ORA. LiqVORE. ET. CI TO. VENTYRI. SIS. MEM OR. ORO. VI RI. TE. SEqVAR. OBSCVRVM. PER. ITER. DVX. I BIT. EVNTI. FIDYS.AAIOR. TENBBRAS. L A M P A D E. DIS C VT I £ N S. In ( H ) icttled in London, where he \vas engaged as reader and preacher at a chapel belonging to the parifh of St. Giles in the fields, then in New-flreet, near great Ruffel-ftreet, Bloomf- bury. In this fituation he continued till 1746. On Mr. Jortln's removal to London he Dubliflied ^' Four fermons on the truth of the In Dodficy's " Colleclion of poems/* vol. iv. p. 188. and in Dr. Jortln's " Tracts,'* &c. vol. i. p. 472. is a beautiful tranflation of the preceding infcription by the Rev. Mr« Merrick. Thee, p^ta, death's relentlefs hand Cut off in earlieft bloom : Oh ! had the fates for me ordain'd To fhare an equal doom ; With joy this bufy vi^orld I'd leave, This hated light refign. To lay me in the peaceful grave, And be for ever thine. Do thou, if Lethe court thy lip, To tafle its ftream forbear : Still in thy foul his image keep. Who haftes to meet thee therco Safe o'er the dark and dreary fhore In quefl of thee I'll roam ; Love with his lamp fhall run before, And break the circling gloom. ( ^5 ) the chriftian religion,'* in a fmall volume in duodecimo. Thefe fermons are no longer to be confulted in the form in which they firfl appeared ; they have been inferted with advantage in fome of our author's fubfequent publications. But though we fhall have oc~ cafion to fpeak of thefe at large hereafter, it may not be amifs to obferve where they are feverally to be found, very confiderably en- larged and improved. The firft fermon is on John xv. 24. and difcufies the nature of miracles, and the evi- dence of the credibility of the gofpel from thofe wrought by Jefus Chrift. Thefe obfer- vatjons and arguments are incorporated into the fecond volume of the '* Remarks on ec- clefiaftical hiftory," where thefubjedis treated more at large. In the fecond fermon, (on Luke xi. 32.) the preacher takes a fhort view of the idolatry which prevailed before the coming of Chrift, obferving by the way, that religious worihip was due only t© the one fupreme being ; and confiders the calling of the gentiles, as it was foretold by the prophets, and accomplilhed by Chrift, as favourable ( i6 ) favorable to the better advancement of the knowledge of the true God. The fubje6l of thi^ fermon will be found in the fecond ^* Dif- courfe on the truth of the chriftian reli- gion." — The third fermon greats of the miracles done by Chrlft and his apoftles, (having for its text, John x. 25.) but thefe are alfo coniidered more at large in the fecond volume of " Remarks on ecclefiaftical hiftory :'* the jews* motives for rejecSing them conftitute a part of the firfl: ** difcourfe on the truth of the chriftian religion/* The fourth fermon, on John v. 33. which treats of the teftimonyand creditof John the baptift, now makes the fifth of the '^difcourfe?/' CHAPTER II. ( I? ) C K A P t E R tl. The publication of his " Mifcellaneous obferva- tions upon authors ancient and modern ;" his '^ Remarks on Spencer and Milton i" and thofe on Seneca, 1731 — 1734* In the years 173 i, and 1732, Mr. Jortlnj in conjundion with feme literary friends, publifhed in a feries of twenty- four fixpenny numbers, ** Mifcellaneous obfervations upon authors ancient and modern /' making toge- ther two volumes in odtavo. They have been much efteemed by the learned both at home and abroad ; and though the fcarcity of thefe volumes, has arifen from a wafte- ful and taftelefs deftrudion of feveral copies, as I was credibly informed by the late Mr. Lockyer Davis, they have of late years been much fought after. To enter into critical inveftigation into the merit of thefe papers feparately, would be, from the nature of the work, to undertake a C very ( i8 ) very laborious tafk, and, in feveral refpeftS;, a very ufelefs one ; and to lofe all benefit from our author's own diftindllon between abjolute and relative drynefi m writings intended for the public eye.* To * " Dry criiiclfmy* Ciys Mr. Jortin in his preface to the fecond volume of the obfervatiom, " is laid ta my charge, and it falls as much upon the beft critics as upon me, Nicolas Heinfius^ and Ifaac Cafaubon, and Jofeph Scaliger, and Lipfius, and Salmafius, and GrotLus, and Dr. Bentleyj have written notes, which however fuperior to mine in other refpecis^ yet can no more claim an exemption from drynefs than mine. " I had once a defign to attack this obje(flion in form, and to throw a whole pamphlet at it, entitled, ne^i t» H^§y. Bat having laid that thought afide, I intend to difpatch it in fev/er words» " I beg leave to diflinguifh and divide drynefs in writing into ahfohite drynefs and relative drynefs. Writings are ahfo- lutely dry which are fo in themfelves ; writings are relatively dry which apj^ear fo to this or that reader. " Moft writings arc relatively dry^ but they are fo in an infinite variety of degrees, Hiftorians, orators and poets ftand the befl: chance of pleafing : critics, grammarian?, antiquaries, logicians, and mathematicians arc entertaining to one in a thoufand. " A book is not the v/orfe in itfclf, whatever it may be to the bookfeller, for being relatively dry^ even to a great de- gree* ( 19 1 To the critical fchclar thefe fragments arc Valuable, and he alone is competent to re- ceive pleafure and advantage from thfe pe- f ufil of them. A general account of them will convey fufficient information, and abun- dantly anfvver the expectation of the general reader. The clafiic fcholar muft be referred C 2 to gree. Relatlue dryncfs in books, Is Ifke fecondary qualities in bodies, fomething which really does not belong to them. ^ " Since we can only judge of the drynefs of books (if \ve judge for ourfelves) by the effects they have upon usy and fnice a book may be dry to one, and not dry to another, it mull be very difficult to come to the knowledge of abfo- lute drynefe, I am afraid that no rule can be laid dovi^n about it;^ which is not liable to fome exception; The beft criterion that I can think of, at prefent, is this : if all men of fenfe and learning join to condemn a book as a dry one,' that book is in great danger of being abfolutely dry, " That the Mifcellaneous obfervations are relatively dry is a plain cafe. But whether they be ahfohdcly dry^ is a' queftion, which I think thofe gentleman will not of themr felves find eafy to decide ; fof I dare fay, that they are too' candid judges, and too good logicians, to infer, that their fentlments, and thofe of their friends^^ are ihc voice of the world. Nul rCaura de V efprit que mm et fios amisy is a rule, v/hic^ I am perfuaded they v/ill not care to go by." ( 20 ) to the obfervations themfelvcs, which, from the mifcellaneous nature of them, it is im- poflible to abridge or analyze. When Mr. Jortin, in his preface to the work now before us, renounces all preten- fions to the name of critic, common pru- dence would recommend caution, even to fcholars, in affuming a charadler in literature, which our author thought Jiinifelf unequal to fudain. " I pretend not,*' fays he, to the title of a critic ; many things, in which I know myfelf to be deficient, go to the making of a critic; an cxtenfive knowledge, a thorough fkill in learned languages, a happy fagacity, a found judgment, an obftinate application to fludy. Even all this is not enough, if fome of the learned may be be- lieved : a critic, according to them, is one who knows every thing, at leaft, not a little of every things who, like the wife man of the ftoics, is not only a great orator, philo- fopher, logician, &:c. but a tolerable taylor and fho:rnaker."^ The contributors to thefe " Mifcellane- ous obfervations'* having fet only initial letters * See preface to the firft volume, p. 4* ( 21 ) letters or feigned fignatures to their refpec- tive papers, we will ilate in the p:iargin all the information we are in poffeffion of re- fpedling the names of the feveral v/riters upon the authority of Mr. Nichols. -f* Such as are not now appropriated, will probably reqiain unknown. Thofe papers which bear C 3 no t See Nichols's " Anecdotes of Bowyer." p. 259. note:|:. Where the different fignatures, are, in part, explained as follows : A. and R. Bifhop Z. Pearce, Cantabrigienfis. Dr. Taylor. Animadverfiones in Luciani Afmum, vol. i. p. 73. without a name : by the fame. B, C. G. Dr. Robinfon, editor of Hefiod. (I have not obferved the letter G.) D. Mr. Jof. Waffe. L. T. Mr. Theobald. J. M. MalTon. T. R» Mr. Rud, (the editor of Symeon Dunclmenfis, 1732. 4^. J. Walker. B. G. Brampton Gurdon. S. B. Mr. Samuel Baxter. J. U. Mr. Upton, fl. Dr. Thirlby. F. n. ^ unknownt F,P. I ( 22 ) no lignature, may generally be afcribed to^ the editor, Mr. Jortin. I do not recollect that he fpeaks of the writers in this work in any part of his other publications, more than once; ^* the learned Jofeph WafTe," fays, hc;, '^ with two or three others, offered hi? affiftance very kindly to the author of the mifcellaneous obfervatipns, who had not many friends to advife him and to counte- nance him ; no fmall difcouragement to a young writer, and no bad excufe for the de- feds in that work *." This ftore of critical learning was tranf- lated into latin, and printed at Amflerdam, entitled, *' Mifcellanes obfervationes in aud:ores veteres et recentiores ; ab eruditis Britarmisf anno 1731, edi coepts, cum no- tis et audario variorum virorum dodtorum/' 1732. The firll four volumes are employed in the republication of the pieces in Mr. Jortln's two volumes, and this part was, completed 1734. When Mr. Jortin de- clined the englifh publication, the foreign one * See Remarks on E. H. yol. ii. edit. 1752. p. 21. note (a). ( 23 ) one was fliU continued by the editor JaC. Phil. D'Orville, aflifted by the learned Bur- man, under the title of '* Mifcellaneas ob- fervationes ciiticae in audores veteres et re- centiores • ab erudltis Brkannis inchoatae, et nunc a do6tis viris in Belgio et aliis regionl- bus, contiiuuatae :** which lad work was completed in fix additional volumes in 1739. And between the years 1740 and 175 1, the profecution of this mifcellaneous and criti- cal work, was purfaed to the extent of four more volumes, affuming a further variation in the title, '^ Mifcclianeas obfervationes cri- ticse novse in audores veteres et recentiores. In Belgio coliediae et prodita^/' In the fecond volume of the pofthumouS re-publication of *' Tra(5ls philological, cri- tical, and mifcellaneous," (p. 45 — 528.) a great number of the papers in the two ori- ginal volumes are reprinted, and diftindly arranged and entitled ** Critical remarks on greek authors, on latin authors, and on mo- dern authors.'* In the lano:uac:e of the edi- tor, '* the fecond volume confifts partly of extracts from Dr. Jortin's manufcripts ; C 4 partly ( ^4 ) partly of other extrads from the * Mifeella- neous obfervations upon authors ;' and hy fuch of the literati as have read thofe obfer- vations, the new matter now introduced will perhaps be confidered as a valuable fupple- ment."* It is, however, to be wiflied that the *' Mifcellaneous obfervations" had been reprinted entire, or that the omiflions and tranfpofitions of papers had been noticed in a clafTed table for that purpofe, correfpond-^ ing with thofe in the former volumes. It will be fufficient barely to mention here, that during the publication of the ** mifcella* neous obfervations" in numbers, there were printed fome anonimous ** Remarks" upon them in a pamphlet of upwards of fixty pages. They are not, however, deferving of anypar-^ ticular notice ; for though the writer may have polfeffed fome learning, he does not ap- pear to have applied it with any diftinguifhing judgment or acutenefs. Our author's Itill and tafte for critical learning were again exhibited in fome ex- cellent * See advertifemcnt prefixed to vol. i. of " Tra<^s" &c, p. V, and vi. ( 25 ) cellent ** Remarks on Spencer's poems */* publillied in 1734, in odavo, to which were fubjoined *' Remarks on Milton -f,'* And in a periodical work, entitled, ** The pre- fent ftate of the republic of Letters," for Augufl: in the fame year, hepublifhed *' Re- marks on Seneca." X Of lVIr7 Jortin's criticifms upon thofe rare englilh claffics, Spencer and Milton, it would be trifling to offer any praife, after the teftimonj born to their excellence by the late biflbop Newton and Mr. Thomas Warton. Bifliop Newton fpeaks of the afliftance which he had received from Mr. Jortin in his publication of Milton's Poems, with a juft and grateful fenfe of his abilities and t^fte i *^ I am obliged too," fays he, ** to Mr. * Reprinted in " Tra6^s philological, &c." vol. i. p. 54—285. with additional notes, by anonymous, p. 287 — 306. t Reprinted in " Tra£ls philological, &c.'* vol. i, p. 307—345. % Article ix. figned J. --^-reprinted in " Tracls philolo- gical, &c, p. 404—424. where it is incorporated with two other fhort papers on Seneca's tragedies from " Mif. Obfervations," vol. i. p. 55, and 127. ( 26 ) Mr. Jortin for feme remarks which he con^ veyed to me by the hands of Dr. Pearce (afterwards bifhop of Rochefter.) They are chiefly upon Milton's imitation of the an- cients ; but every thing that proceeds from him is of value, whether in poetry, criti- cifm, or divinity ; as appears from his ** Lufus Poetici," his *' Mifcellaneous ob- fervations upon authors,'* and his ** Difcourfes concerning the truth of the chriftian reli- gion*." And the fame editor of Milton's poeti' cal works fays elfewhere ** The notes, as upon the ** Paradife loft,'* fo likewife upon the ** Paradife regained," and other poems, are of various authors, and of various kinds ; but thefe, excepting only a few, were never printed before, and have therefore novelty to recommend them ; as well as fome names of the firfl rank and greateft eminence in the republic of letters. The truth of my afler^ tion will be fully juftified, by mentioning only the names of Mr. Warburton and Mr, Jortin ; who, while they are employed in writing the moft learned and elaborate de- fences * See his preface to his edition of Milton's Poems. ( n ) fences of religion, yet find leifure to cultivate the politer arts ; and to promote and im- prove, both in themfelves and others, a claffical tafte of the fineft authors. And, whatever may be the fuccefs, I can never repent of having engaged in this undertak- ing, v^hich hath given me fo many con- vincing proofs of their friendfliip and kind- nefs I and at the fame time hath happily conjoined, — what perhaps might never elfe have been joined together, — my ftudies, and my name, with theirs^.'' Mr. Thomas Warton, fpeaking of the poems of Milton fays, ** fuch refpedtable- names as Jortin, Warburton, and Hurd, confpired in examining their excellencies, in adjufting their claims to praife, and extend- ing their reputation'!'/' And Dr. Knox remarks, that Mr. Jortin's ^' Obfervations on one of the fathers of englifli poetry, need but to be more generally known,- in order to be more generally approved^.'' * See Preface to " Paradife regained," vol. ill. f See Warton's edition of Miltn's " Poems oii feveral ©ccafions," 8vo. 1785. preface p. x. X See Knox's ElTays moral and literary, vol. ii. EfT. cxv, t H A P T E R^ ( 28 ) CHAPTER III, Prefented to the vicarage of Eaftwell^ in Kent; appointed afternoon preacher at the chapel in Oxenden-flreetj London 3 publilhes his " Dif- courfes concerning the truth of the chriftian religions" appointed afternoon preacher at Lin- ' coin's Inn -, publifhes a fermon preached at the confecration of bifhop Pearccj appointed Boyle's ledlurer ; publifhes the firfl: volume of his " Re- marks on ecclefiafticai hiilory ; prefented to the redory of St. Dunitan in the Eail. 1737 — • 1751. Mr. Jortin was prefented by the earl of Winchelfea to the vicarage of Eaftwell in Kent, worth about one hundred and tvvcnty pounds a year, feme time in 1737, but, the air of the place not agreeing with his health, he focn refigned it, and returned to London. He, ( 29 ) He, therefore, continued to officiate at the chapel in Nevv^ftrect, until he was ap- pointed (March 20, 1746-7.) by his friend Dr. Zachary Pcarce, then redor of St. Martin's in the fields, afternoon preacher at a chapel of eafe belonging to that parifh in Oxendcn-flreet, in the place of the rev. Johnfon, then lately deccafed ; in which fituation he continued till 1760. In the year 1746, Mr. Jortin publifhed his *' Difcourfes concerning the truth of the chriflian religion,'' which included the fub- ftance of the *' Four difcourfes" before men- tioned, and have fince pafled through feveral editions.* Bifliop Watfon has repeatedly, and very defervedly, clalTed Jortin among fome great and eminent names who have honourably and fuccefsfully laboured to cflablifli the truth, and illuflrate the doc- trines of chriftianity :*j- and bifhop Law, while * The fecond edition was publifhed the next year 1747 ', the third I y ^2 f the four thy 1768. t See bifiiop Watfon's " Colleoiion of traas," vol. i. pref. p. xii. and vol. v. p, iiu of the accounts of the con- tents. ( so ) while engaged In the fame fervlce, very Juftiy pronounces him ** a very learned and inge- nious writer/'* Dr. Knox, does not hefitate to fay that his ** DIfcourfes on the chriftiaa religion^ one of the firfl: fruits of his theolo- gical purfuits, abound with that found fenfe and fohd argument, which entitled their author to a rank very near the celebrated Grotius.^J ' Thefe difcourfes have received much advantage from the acceflion of additional matter, and their prefent arrangement. They contain a valuable colleftion of fadts, and very mafterly difplay of arguments upon fome very interefling parts of the inquiry into the evidences and truths of chriftianity 5 concerning which, *^ if he has advanced any wrong notions, there is reafon to hope,'* as he expreiTes himfelf, *' that they proceed not from a bad mind, but are ONLY THE ISSUES OF UNFORTUNATE IN- QUIRY." In * See bifhop Law's " Confidcratlons on the theory ©f religion." 5th edit. p. 326, X See Knox's " Lilays moral and literary," vol. ii.^ EiTay cxv. ( 3r ) In the firft dlfcourfe, on the prejudices OF THE JEWS AND GENTILES, OUr author afcribes the rejedion of the gofpel by the jew^ to their wickednefs, and to feveral pre- judices which they had againil the perfon of Chrift and the dodtrines of the gofpeL Thofe againft the former, were fuch as, that none of the rulers or pharifees believed on him ; his poverty and ignominious death ; becaufe, as they faid, he profaned the fab- bath day; did not live in a way fufficiently auftere ; becaufe they knew whence he came, had dwelt in Galilee and at Nazareth -, be- caufe he hinted that he was a much greater perfon than they imagined ; and alfo becaufe the chriftians worfhipped more Gods than one, and afcribed divine perfeclions to Chrift.* This * The words of Mr. Jortin elfe where, on the abfurd notions of the heathens, conclude as forcibly when applied to the equally abfurd notions of the greater part of the chriflians, from the time of the Nicene council to our own, inclufive. " It is fo arreeable to reafon," fays he, to be- lieve that there is one fupreme independent being, difpofer, ruler and preferver of all things, to whom alone religious worlhip ( 32 ) This laft ftated objedion of the jews, id far as they thought themfelves right in the fad, is the moft important reafon among all thofe affigned by them, or by others for them, in excufe for their rejeding the chriftian revelation. But, whatever opinion the jews might entertain of the fentlments and prac- tices of the early chriftians in this refped, it has been proved to demonftration that the chriftians of the three firft centuries were UNITARIANS.* However, upon the pre- fumption worihip is due, that It mzy feem very flrange that men fhould have erred in this point, and fallen into all thofe ab- fuid notions which the heathens entertained concerning their gods." " Four Sermons," p. 25. Strange that chriftians, under the furthe' ght of revelation, fhould con- tinue to entertain fimilar ( onceits ; Tor it is very true a*J biftiop Watfon ]diYly obferves, *' that the books of ;iature and revelation equally elevate our conceptions, and incite our piety ; they mutually illuftrate each other -, they have an equal claim to our regard, for they are both written by the finger of the one eternal incompre- hensible God, to v^hom be glory for ever. Amen." "Chemical EfTays," vol. i. preface. * See Dr. Prieftley's " Letters to Dr. Horiley," which remain unrefuted, and, if fome more doughty champion than the ( 33 ) fiimption that the charge of polytheifm was brought home by the jews agaiaft the chrif- tians, Mr. Jortin replies to it by fancifully explaining the various angelic appearances to Adam, to Abraham, to Mofes, to the elders of Ifrael, to the patriarchs and prophets, as beinginfadl nootherthan *' the word of God, the fon of God, who was in the form of Godj who was the vifible image of the invifible God, reprefenting the majedy of his father^ and ading in his name." But, notwithftanding all that has been written by feveral very learned and very liberal the bifhop of St. David's does not buckle on his armoufj and take up the gauntlet, will, and muft remain to b? confidered as unanfwerable. Such vanquifhed knights as bifhop Horlley, who are violent at the outfet and only cool in obftinate perfeverance, fcarcely ferve to gra^e the victory jat a tournament. To him may very properly be applied, what has been faid of ancient chivalry ; " if he were in jeft, he has done too much ; if he were in earneft, he has done too little." See alfo Dr. Prieftley's feveral " Defences of uni- tarianifm," " and HiPcory of early opinions concerning Jefus Chrift/* and particularly his invaluable little tra6i:, en- titled, " A general view of the arguments for the unity of God." — To thefe add alfo Mr. Wakefield's " Inquiry into the opinions of the chrillian writers of the three f\i^ cea* turies." 8vo. 17S4. D ( 34 ) liberal-minded chriftians, this objeflion of the jews, applied to that period of the church when this notion had actually crept in, remains in its full force, and is at this inflant the great hindrance to their conver- iion, and, (fuperadded to the prohibition of polygamy and divorce,) to the converfion of the mahometans alfo. The prejudices of the jews againft the dodlrines of the gofpel, refpedled its fpiri- tuality and its morality,, and other circum- ftances of the like fort. But the fcribes and pharifees were moved from perfonal conlider- ations of anger and intereft, having been re- peatedly reproved by Chrifl, and having their own fyftem to fupport in their own defence. When it is obfei^ed by our author, that *' the jews are not able to give any reafon why they acknowledge the law of Mofes to be a divine revelation, which will Bot diredly, and more ftrongly eftabliih the truth and authority of the gofpel," many chriflians, being more taken with the flattering turn of the remark, than (ludious to inquire whether it can be unr/erfally fupported, will be ready to ( 35 ) to concur with him. And befides, it is, generally fpeaking, much more eafy and expeditious to cut a knot than to untie it. But the truth is, that fo long as the doc- trine of the trinity is confidercd as confti- tuting any part of chriftianity, as it does of certain eftabliflied churches; or indeed fo long as Jefus Chrifl: is elevated above the perfon and charafter he declared himfelf to be, the jews will never acknowledge him to the mefliah ; the difficulties recur again and again, and are infurmountable. Until the chriftian faith is tendered to the underfland- ings of men, in its original limplicity and luftre, it is hoping againft hope to entertain any expeftation of the cpnverfion of jew> or turk, or infidel. The rejedion of the chriflian revela- tion by the gentiles was occafioned by fome things in common with the jews, fuch as a great corruption of manners, prejudice of education, the temporal incon- veniences which attended the profefiion of chriftianity, and the temporal advantages which might be fecured or obtained by rejeding or oppofiiig it ; and by fome things D 2 peculiar f 36 ) peculiar to themfelves, fach as the opinions of the philofophers ; the ill ufage of the em- perors Trajan, Titus, Antoninus, and Mar- cus Aurelius, from whom better things might have been expefled ; a great carelefs- nefs and indifference about all religion in general ; and even the bad opinion which many of them had of the jews ; the novelty of the chriftian religion, its plainnefs and fimplicity, and becaufe it rejected all gods but one.* The propagation of the gospfl is the fubjedl of the fecond difcourfe ; and in this inquiry, the fwift and fuccefsful progrefs of it in the converiion of the gentiles, and the affiftance it received from miracles ; the difficulties ariiing from fuperflition and pre- judice of education, and the low circum- Aances * This Indeed appears to be the true flate of the cafe, for the chriftian fcriptures fpeak of no other than one God, and the chriftians of the three firft centuries acknowledged no other befides him. Thus, while the jews falfely Im- puted to the chrlftians the worfhip of more gods than one, and therefore rejedled their faith ; the polytheifm of the hea- thens wasoiFended becaufe they really worfliippcd only ONfc God, the creator and governor of the world-. ( 37 ) fiances of its teachers ; the different nations and ranks of people who received it ; the few indulgences it afforded ; the vicious charac- ters of the gentiles, and the perfecution which attended its promulgation, are fairly ftated and confidered. So likewife are the circumftances which contributed to its eftabliihment, fuch as, the prophecies concerning the calling of the gentiles and the miracles wrought by chrif- tians ; the conformity between the theolo- gical dodlrines of revealed religion, and the opinion of fome, or other, of the wifer gen- tiles in various ages and places ; the precepts of chriftianity being for the mod part agree- able to the dodtrines which fome of the beft pagan authors had delivered ; the number of gentiles who were profelytes to the jewifh religion fo far, that they worfliipped the God of Ifrael, and renounced the follies and vices of paganifm; the importance of the iruths contained in the gofpel ; the amiable cha- rad:er of the apoftles and the chriftians of that age; and alfo its being a difpenfation, every way, highly worthy of him from D 3 whom { 38 ) whom It proceeded, and as fuitable to thofe to whom it was offered, — -which are all fo many circumstances that contributed to its eftablifhment, and fo many teflimonies of its excellence. The third difcourfe treats of the king- dom OF CHRIST, in which is conlidered the commencement and duration of it ; and the particular charafters which fhpuld diftin* guifh it from all others. The kingdom which our lord is fupr pofed by fome, (and among thefe by our author,) to have had from the beginning, as he was the word, or fon, of God, and the perfon by vvhom God made all things, is paffed over with only mentioning it. Indeed, this fimple recital of what is more than difputed by many chriftians, IS fufficient.* The commencem.ent of this kingdom, in the fenfe in which he is now confidering it, is commonly ftated to have been * See Mr. Tyrwhitt's very excellent " Explanation of St. Paul's doctrine concerning the creation of all things by Jefus Chrift 3" in " Commentaries and Eflays," vol. ii. p. 9— 14« ( 39 ) been from his afcenfion into heaven ; but Mr. Jortin is more difpofed to date it from ' his birth, and is confirmed therein by fome circumftances of his life.^ But, it is of more importance to us rightly to apprehend the nature of his kingdom, than the precife time of its commencement. ** His kingdom was not like the kingdom-s of this world, as he declared to Pilate ; it was not eredled in oppofition to the Roman, or to any other human government. This is that good confeffioii (fays Mr. Jortin), which, as St. Paul obferves, he witneffed before Pontius Pilate." With refped: to what our lord fays of *^ the glory which he had with his father before the world was; (John xvii. 5.) and which Mr. Jortin docs not fail to refer to, as indeed it is the great fheet anchor of arianifm. It muft fuffice to obferve, that it has been fhewn and demonfl-ratcd, as Lardner fays, D 4 that * See, however, a tradb on this fubjedl in the Theolo- gical repofitory, (vol. vi. p. 244 — 284.) fubfcribediDiOTA, where the vi^riter treats the eftablifhment of Chrift's king- dom, as an event (till future. ( 40 ) that this prayer of Chriil *^ may very well be underftood, according to the jewifli phra- feology, of the glory always defigned for the Chrift.by the immutable purpofe of God. And, that our lord had not, before his na- tivity, the glory, which he here prays for, is apparent from the whole tenor of the gofpel, and from clear and manifeft ex- preffions in the context.*** The principal charaders of Chrift's king- dom aie that it was not eftablifhed like earthly kingdoms, by human policy and human force, but was to be erected in the hearts, and over the confciences, of men; that it would beuniverfal; and that it would be a kingdom of righte©ufnefs and peace. Concerning the completion of thefe pror phecieSj there arifes a difficulty^ when we compare the predictions with the event. He, therefore, • See Dr. Lardner's " Letter on the logos," In the eleventh volume of his works, edit. 1788, p. 9 1 and 92. Cardale's " True do6b-ine of the new Teflament," 2d edit. 1721. p. 89. and hls»" Comment on Chrift's prayer," p. 72 — 104. Lindfey's " Sequel," p. 239— 259. his "Hif- torical view," p. 225—227. and his " Examination of Kobinfon's plea/' p. 1 62-*- 164. ( 4i ) ^lierefore, flates the objeftions fully, though briefly, and then proceeds to the folution of ^hem. It being alfo prophelled, in connedion with the aforefaid charaflers of his kingdom, that he fhould be a conqueror, a profperous and vi(5lorious king, who fhould fubdue all his enemies ; many a6ts as of regal authority arc enumerated, anfwering to fuch defcriptions, and which have had their fignal completion. ** We are taught," fays our author, ** to pray daily that the kingdom of God, or of Chrift, may come ; in which words we pray that the gofpel of Chrift may fiourifli more and more, and that the number of his fer- vants may increafe continually. But to pray for this," adds he, ** is not enough ; we cannot indeed pray for it with any finccrity, unlefs we ufe our beft endeavours to accom- plifli thefe pious wiflies," 'Y\it fourth difcourfe is upon the fit- ness OF THE TIME WHEN ChRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD. An cvcnt which cor- refponded with the prophecies of Daniel, Haggai, and Malachi. As to the fitnefs of time ( 42 ) time in other refpedls, " the fcriptures/' he obferves, ** fay little; and we can only offer conjedlures, which ought to have no more authority than they are found, upon exami- nation, to have of probability." The arguments here offered are as judicious In themfelves, as they are modeftly fuggeiled. (i) That our lord came when men had been prepared by a long feries of prophecies to expedb and receive him: (2.) When the jews wanted the mefiias as a moral inftrudor : (3) When religion and morality were uni- verfally corrupted and greatly wanted re- formation : (4.) When knowledge was con- fiderably increafed among the heathens, though they were greatly corrupted in their lives. For truth and learning are friends ; error and impoflure flourifli under the pro- tedion of ignorance. (5.) At the time when our lord came, the infufficiency of the jcwifli religion, of ancient tradition, and of philo- fophy, fully appeared. And, laftly, " when our lord came, the moft civilized and the moft populous parts of Europe and Afia were under one government, and ruled by common ( 43 ) common laws which in the main were juft and good, the times were more quiet and happy than they had been, commerce f] ou- ri{hed, and travelling was made eafy and (afp ; and this ftate of things was favour^ xblc to chriftianity, and afforded opportunitie s to lay the foundation of it, and to fprea(i it fpeedily and effectually."* The TESTIMONY OF John the b apt i st, being one of the proofs of our lord's mif lion which were appealed to by himfelf, is 1 lere coniidered feparately in the Ji/tA difcou rfe. The general prophecies concerning CI irift were fo defcriptive of him, and no other, that, as our author (hrewdly obferves, '' w ho- ever can afcribe the fulfilment of theni to chancey ought not to objed: credulity to chrillians." • So much of thefe arguments as relate to the cir cum- ftances of the Roman empire being favorable to the ril e and fpread of chriftianity, are further confidered in this firil pages of the firft volume of " Rerrarks on E. H." And there is an excellent fermon on " the fituation (^f the world at the time of Chrift's appearance, and its connec- tion with the fuccefs of religion;" preached 1755, bv Dr. Robertfon of Edinburgh, and republifhed in " the S cotch preacher," vol. i. fcrm. iv. ( 44 ) chiillians." But the evidence of miracles, prophecy, and his own fore- knowledge of future events, being elfewhere difculTed, Mr, Jortin here examines apart the teftimony of John. And, that he was an unexceptionable witnefs, appears no lefs from the teftimony itfelf which he bare of Jefus Chrift, than from the account of the life and charader of the baptiit. Thefe are candidly ftated, as is alfo the objedtion which is fometimes made to the competency of his evidence, on ac- count of the melTage which he fent by his difciples when he was in prifon, to inquire of our lord himfelf, whether he was *' he tliat was to come, or they were to look for another r" Several judicious interpretations of this pafTage, (Luke vii. 19.) are ex- hibited, which make the account recorded by the evangelifl:, perfeclly confident with the credit of the baptifi: *. The * The teftimony cf John the baptift is more largely -ccnfiiered in a valuable publication upon the fubject, by Dr. Bell, prebendary of Weftminfter, entitled, " An en- quiry into the divine miffion of John the baptift, and Jefus ChriiV 8vo. ijSi. It cannot be denied to the very in- genious''^ ( 45 ) Thtjixth difcourfe contains a feries of cb* fervations which relate to the truth, ' the im- portance, and the authority of the fcrip- tures of the new Teftament, which are con- fidered pretty much at large, as the nature of the general obfervation requires, (i) That the books of the new Teftament were written by thofe to whom they are afcribed, that is*, by apoftles, or by believers who converfed with the apoftles : (2) that the main parts of the chriftian religion, at leaft enough to eftablifh its truth, may be found in alm^oft each fingle book or treatife contained in the new Tefiament : (3) that the books of the new Teftament defcended to us uncorrupted in any thing material : (4) that the truth of the things contained in thefe books depends upon the integrity of the apoflles, who did and fuffered fo much for the fake of the gofpel : (5) that there never was a book which abounded more with internal proofs of genious authpr that he hath fucceeded in his hopes of fcrv- ing the chriftiaa religion by " adding another motive to the power of its influence, and another ray to the^fplcndor pf its evidence," ( 46 ) of the truth of its contents than the new Tf^fiament : (6) that if we fhould fuppofe th at the writers of the new Teftament had no extraordinary affiftance from God in com- pc»ling their books and epiftles, the prophetic parts excepted, the truth of the chriftian re^ li^jion In general might flill be proved -, there would ftill be fufficient evidence that Chrift came from God to teach men to live foberly, righteoufly, and pioufly, that he wrought m iracles, that he died and rofe again, that his apoftles received fupernatural powers by which they were enabled to propagate the gofpel : (7) that admitting the fcriptures are often obfcure and difficult, occafioned by the fubje7 ) as fo peculiar to himfelf, that he c;innot be fuppofed to fufFer thofe to partake of it, who are not fent by him. 3. " He was a prophet: he foretold not only things remote and lying beyond hu- man fagacity, but things improbable and miraculous, which have been accompliihed. 4. '* He wrought miracles numerous and various, worthy of himfelf, and beneficial to men ; and many of thefe mJracles v/ere alfo prophecies at the fame time, and indi- cations of future events 5 and fo were moil of his parables. 5. " He never erred or failed in any point, as teacher, prophet, meflias, or w^orker of miracles. All his promifes were accom- plifhed, particularly his remarkable promife that he would fupport and comfort all thofe who fhould be called to fuffer or to die for his fake, which hath been illuftrioufly ful-* filled in ancient and in modern martyrs. 6. *' He conferred miraculous and pro* phetic gifts on his difciples, and they oa theirs. 7. ^^ His religion was plain and popular, yet pure . ( io8 ) pure and holy, and tending to make mea v/ifer and better, and it produced a multi- tude of eood efFedls in the world. 8. *' When it was firfl preached, it could never have made its way without the affi fi- ance of miracles. 9. *' He lived and died an example of all that he taught, of all adive and fuffering virtues. 10. '^ He had no rival or antagonift, to make his authority appear doubtful, by op- pofmg prophecies to his prophecies, and miracles to his miracles, from the time that he began his miniftry to this day." Mr. Jortin next Hates the fappoiition of the gofpel not being true, in the form of an objection, faid to be made by a learned and ingenious perfon, but who was inclined to fcepticifm.— ^' You often tell us," obferved this gentleman to a friend of our author s, " hov/ dangerous it is to rejed: the gofpel, if it be true ^ but you confider not that there is the fame danger in teaching it, if it be falfe. What can you fay for yourfelves when you couae ( 109 ) come to appear before God, if you have mi fled the people in fo important a point ? The anfwer was fhort, but fatisfadory, *^ we will fuppofe, if you pleafe/' replied his friend," that chriflianity is not a divine .revelation : let us coniider the confequence. *' The confequence is that deifm is the only true religion, and thefe are its great ar- ticles : one God, the immortality of the foul, or its permanency fo long as it (hall pleafe God, a future ftate of retribution, the eternal differences of moral good and evil, an obligation to love God and man, and to live righteouiiy and foberly. ** All thefe points are forcibly Inculcated by chriftianity, and nothing is taught by us that invalidates them. If chriilianity be not true, we have been deluded, and have thought too well of thofe who introduced revealed religion into the world, and that is all. The delufion hath led us into no iniquity, and authorized no crimes • it has been the mod innoxious of all errors, an error pleading for every virtue^ and difluading from every vice, ^' What ( no ) ^' What danger can there be in fuch a religion, even upon any fuppofition ? And how ean it be imagined that the father of mercies would not forgive fuch an error ? /^ If chriftianity be true, the deift is in an error, and if his error be unavoidable, he is in the hands of a merdful God : but let him take heed that he deceive not himfelf, for if his unbelief arifes from evil caufes, God is not 7nockedJ' The inquiry into the authority due to the fathers and hiilorians, upon whom the credit of the miracles faid to be wrought fubfequent to the apoillic age depends, is opened with a cautionary admonition, that " as far as they fall fhort of the diftinguifhing charadters belonging to the works of Chrifl and his apoftles, fo far they muft fail of giving us the fame full perfualion and fatisfadion. And that they fall Ihort in many inftances, will appear to any one who fhall examine them by the charaders of the gofpel miracles/* The profecution of this inquiry into, and efiimate of the credit of the early chriftian wiitersj dov^^nto the age of Conftantine oc- cupies '( III ) cupies the remainder of the volume. In this feries, the charader and writings of Polycarp, Juftin Martyr, Tertullian, Theo- phihis, Irena^us, and Origen are confidered more at large than the others. The conduft ofMracus Aurelius towards the chriftians ^ fome account of the montanifts, the nova- tians, the manichaens (from Beaufobre) and of Diocletion's perieciuion ( begun A. D. 502.) neceflarily conftitute another confider-' able part of the volume before us. Some general obfervations which are fug- gefted by our author, when mentioning the martyrdom of Polycarp, (who fufiered un- der Marcus Aurelius aibout A.D. 169,) upon the noble fpirit with which the chriftians bore the cruel perfecutlons repeatedly carried on againft them, deferve and will fecure our attention. They are greatly interefting to the believer in the chriftian difpenfation, and may induce ferious reflexions to him who fhall doubt of the divine authority of the gofpel with ingenuous modefty and diffi* denccj or as our author cjxprefles himfelf on another ( n2 ) another occafioii) ^* Vvdth academical precis fion." '* Whatever we determine," fays Jortin, ** concerning the wonders, the behaviour of Polycarp and of his contempories and fellow chriftians, teaches us to determine that God was with them, and affifled them. The fufferings of the chriilians afforded examples of courage and conflancy which feemed more than human, and had an happy effedl in con- verting others. We have authentic accounts of many perfons, in the bloom of life, and of the infirmer fex, who received the fen-* tence of condemnation to a cruel death with- out conilernation, and underwent it v/ithout a complaint, and fometimes with exultation and joy. When we read that Arria gave her hufband the fword from her bleeding breaftj with, MY DEAR, IT IS NOTHiH obferves our liberal remarker^ in four words, noluMus chris- TIANOS AMPLIUS VEXARI !" *^ Auguftu^, who had fuffered all perfons to approach him, fliewed a more magnanimous mind, when a poor man once offered him a petition in a timorous manner, with a hand half extended and half drawn back, he jefted with him, and told him that he looked as if he was giving a halfpenny to an elephant." Upon the fubjecft of the demoniacs in the new Teftament, Mr. Jortin feems rather to have been unfettled, than fatisfied, but more difpofed to the belief of real poiTeffions than to confider them as epileptics, or infane perfons. Of the empire of Satan he fpeaks more than once, but it is in the conclufion of what he fays on this part of his fubjedt, that he adds, *^ thus much in behalf, not of belief, but of academical hefitation." And I a reprobates ( n6 ) reprobates the phrafeology in our law pro- ceedings on certain criminal charges, v/hereia the offence is faid to be done at the motion and inftigation of the devil ; for the confe- quence of afcribing '^ almofc every moral and natural evil to evil fpirits, was no other, fays he, than that a profligate fellow could not commit any mifdemeanor, but it was, Jlqiiisy injiigante diaboloy &c." When our author profeffes to have *' no notion of differing from v/orthy perfons, liv» ing or dead, for the fake of Jingidaf'ity or af ccntradicilorii in which he could dlfcern no charms, and neither pleafure nor profit," — we can very readily agree with him, and lament that there are any perfons who can give occa- fion for fuch an obfervation. But when lie goes on to tell us that ^* to an opinion com- monly received, and received by good men, when I cannot ailent, I am inclined to fay, InvituSj regina,, tuo de litore ceffi :" we may, in admitting the premifea, wifli to qjalify the conclufion. For although mcch may br, and is, due to an opinion fo i upper ted, much more is du.e to that deter- mined ( 117 ) mined Inveillgation and fober judgment which become every honeft inquirer : Amicus Plato, amicus Socrates, fed magis arnica Veritas. But the juflly memorable John Hales, who is cited in this volume, refolves this queftion with a force and eloquence peculiar to truth. ** The purfuit of truth," fays he '-^ hath been my only care, ever fmce I un- derfcood the meaning of the word. For this I have forfaken all hopes, all friends, all defires, which might byas me, and hinder me from driving right at what I aimed. For this I have fpent my money, my means, my youth, my age, and all that I have.— If with all this cofl: and jiains my purchafe is but error, I may fifely fay, to err hath cod me more than it has many to find the truth ; and truth fhall give me this tefli- mony at lad, that if I have miffed of her, it 1-3 not my fault, but my misfortune." Mr. Jortin concludes this volume wuth zn appendix, in which he has entered more I 2 ^t ( n8 ) at large into his reafon for thinking that the Sadducees did not reje6l the prophets. And has alfo given many little additions of matter, which had before efcaped his notice* The few ^'Mifcellaneous remarks on the fermons of archbifhop Tillotfon," which Mr. Jortin communicated to Dr. Birch for his ** Life" of that amiable and eminent prelate, come next in review before us. They form the third number of the appendix tq that work, which was printed 1752.* Tillotfon publiihed his fermon$ on the divinity of Chriil, to vindicate himfelf from the charge of focinianifm, that is, fays Jortin, fi*om an accufation entirely ground- Icfs. The mifreprefentations of enemies will fometimes give occafion for thefe vindi- cations from all quarters; but it feems, that in vindicating himfelf from holding the opinions of Socinus, he made fuch concef- fions concerning focinians in refpeft to their good * Page 442—450; and re-publiflicd in " Trads phi- JoJogical &c.'* 1790. vol. i. p. 366— 377, ( H9 ) good temper, their fair way of 'difputing, and of debating matters of religion, their clofe and clear reafoning, ** as never were and never would be forgiven him.'* It fell out, unfortunately for the archbilhop, that he offended the high orthodox party by his candor and juftice, and failed to convince his adverfaries by his arguments.^ South, cried aloud and fpared not : he called the focinians *' impious blafphemers, whofe infamous pedigree ran back [from wretch to wretch] in a diredl line to the devil himfelf ; and who wcvc fitter to be crudied by the civil magiftratc, as deftrudive to go- I 4 vernment * South in his " Animadverfions on Dr. Sherlock's Vindication of the trinity," in 1693, occafionally reflected upon Tillotfon for his " fignal and peculiar encomium, as he calls it, of the reafoning abilities of the focinians ;" and being deiirous to know the archbi{hop*s opinion of his per- formance, procured a friend of his to draw it from him, who gave it to this effect, — that " the doctor wrote like a man, but bit like a dog." This being reported to South, he anfwercd, that " he had rather bite like a dog, than fawn like one." To wJiich the archbifhop replied, that *' for his part he fhould chufe to be a spaniel, rather th^n a CUR," See Birch's " Life of Tillotfon," p. 348. ( 120 ) vernment and fociety, than to be confuted as merely heretics in religion." ** Such/' fays Jortin, " is the true agonlilic jftile, or intolerant fpirit ; fuch the courage of a champion, who chailenges his adverfary, and then calls upon the conftable to come and help him.'* Another remark of Jortin's is on a fer- mon,* wherein the archbifliop took occafion to recommend '* ferioufnefs in preaching, and to reprobate the breaking jefls upon fm, and quibbling with the vices of the age.*' This w^as undoubtedly defigned as a cenfure upon South, for faying, that " there is no fluxing a foul out of its immortality," and an hundred things of the fame kind. Again ; when Tillotfon faid^ ** he could never yet attain to that bold and hardy degree of faith, as to believe any thing, for this reafon, becaufe it was impoflible." — We are told that the preacher had in view the author of '' Religio medici." But, fiys Jortin, - by * See vol. ii. fo. edit. ferm. Ixx. t See vol. iii. fo. edit. ferm. cxL ( 121 ) ** by impoflibilitles, fir Thomas Brown, as Vv'ell as Tertullian, meant feeming, not real impollibilities -, and what he fays, fhould be looked upon as a verbum at^dens, a rhetorical flourifli, and a trial of fkill with Tertullian, in which, however, he had little chance to come off fuperior. ** Tillotfon judging, that the papifls would make an ill ufe of this, and fuch paf- fages as this, in proteftant writers, was will- ing to pafs a gentle animadverfion upon it. ** Sir Kenelm Digby, a roman catholic, who criticized federal things in the ** Reli- glo medici," neverthelefs gave his loud ap- probation to thefe pious fallies." This juflified the fufpicions of Tillotfon, and might have excufed a fmarter reprehen- fion. For who is not convinced that chrif- tianity and proteftantifm have fuffered lefs from the malevolence and perfecutions of their adverfaries, than from the tieachery and injudicioufnefs of their friends. Mr. Jortln was fond of mufic, and learned it after he came to refide in London in 1730. * * ( 122 ) He was a good player of thorough-bafs on the harpficord. His mafter was Mr. Petit, a frenchman, who is faid to have been a good player of Corelli's mufic on the violin.* But the fcholar appears to have confidered and attended to it as a fcience, as well as an amufement and relaxation from feverer ftudies. That Milton-f' fliould at- tune his lyre was natural, but that the rough and inflexible LutherJ (hould be a cpm- pofer and performer on mufic is extraordi- nary. Jortin was led to mufic by genius and temper. We have before had pccafion to fpeak of his genius and talents for poetrj^ ; we may now form a very competent opinion of his tafte and judgment in a fifter art, from his ** Letter concerning the mufic of the ancients.'* This letter is addreflTed to Mr. Avifon, the author of an ** Effay on mufical expreflHon," and is added, without his name, to the fccond edition of that Ef- fay, printed 1753; but is given to its pro- per * See Nichols's " Anecdotes of Bowyer," p. 259. t See « Letter," p. 26. t See " Life of Erafmus." vol. i. p. 126. ( 1^3 ) p^r owner in the third edition publiihed J775.* In order to difcover our author's induce- ment to cultivate his turn for mufic, we need only to read his own elegant account of its innocent and inviting charms. ^'Thefurprifing powers of mufic/* fays he, ^* as related by feveral of the ancients, may juftly pafs for exaggerations. When Horace tells us that a wolf fled from him, who met him in the woods, as he was chanting the praifes of the fair Lalage, v^e conclude either that it is a poetical fib, or that he fang fo ill as to frighten the favage. " But furely mufic deferves the fober compliment paid to it by the fame poet, when he calls it, the afiiiager of cares, « Minuenter atrje Carmine curse, ^* It helps to relieve and footh the mind, and is a fort of refuge from fome of the evils of life, from flights, and negledls, and cen- fures, and infults, and difappointments ^ from * Republlfiied in " Trads philological" kc. i'j()0. ygl. ii. p. i-^2g. ( 124 ) li'om the wrath of real enemies, and th^ coldnefs of pretended friends ; from your well-wifliers,(as they may juftly be called, in oppofition to well-doers,) whofe inclinations to ferve you always decreafe, in a mod ma- thematical proportion, as their opportunities to do it increafe j from The proud man's contumely, and the fpurns Which patient merit of th' unworthy takes ; from grievances that are the growth of all times and places. *^ Many things we muft expedl to meet with, which it would be hard to bear, if a ccmpcnfation were not to be found in honeft endeavours to do well, in virtuous afiedions, and connexions, and in harmlefs and reafon- able amufements. And why ihould not a man amufe himfelf fometimes ? Vive la Ba- gatelle T' But, fo modefl: an opinion had Mr. Jor- tin of his knowledge of the theory of mufic either of former or later times, that he pro- feffes to offer " nothing better than a few ftraggling pafTages of claflic authors relating to mufic, and a few flight remarks added to them. Thefe ( 125 ) Thefe *^ ftraggling remarks/* howevcr> are happily illuftrated by the hand of a maf- tcr ; and his defcriptioa of the mufic of the ancients, both vocal and inftrumental, di-- veiled of ail mulical myfteries, is pleafingly related. *' The mufic of the ancients feems in o-e- neral, fays he, to have been more limple than curs, and perhaps it v/ould not have the fame eiFe6t up^^ "s, as it had upon them, If we could retrieve it. We fhould probably find in it fomcthing to commend, and fomething to cenfure. For many rea- fons it may be fuppofed to have been fupe- rior beyond all meafure to the execrable mufic of the modern Greeks, the Turks, Per* fians and Chinefe, which yet is charming in their ears, and, in their fond opinion, would afJedl even things inanimate. With magic numbers, and perfuafive found. Thus it is v/ith mufic : bad feems good, 'till you get acquainted with better. *' Yet one confiderable advantage which arofe even from the fimplicity of the ancient tunes,, and which greatly fet off their con- cert ( 126 ) cert of vocal and inftrumental mufic, wa§ that the linger could be underftood, and that the words had their efFedt as well as the mufic ; and then the charms of elegant and pathetic poefy^ aided and fet oft hy the voice, perfon, manner and accent of the finger, and by the found of the inftruments^ might affedt the hearer very ftrongly. We mud add to this the harmonious and unri- valled fweetnefs of the greek language. cui non certaverit ulla, Aut tantum fluere, aut totidem durare perannos. " But in modern performances of this kind, if you are not acquainted with the fong, it is often entirely loft to you ; nor can you always hear it diflindly, even when you know it by heart, or have it before you to read. ** As to inftrumental mufic, the fafhion feems to be too precipitate in all lively and briilc movements. This, indeed, ftiews a hand j but the mufic often fuffers by it : and a man may r>lay, as well as talk, fo faft ihat none can underftand him. I have heard fuch performers. ( 127 ) performers, who had what Is called execu^ tion, lead ofF the Fugues at fuch a rate, that one half of their companions were thrown out, and obliged to jump in again, as well as they could, from time to time. Yet the Violino principale chofe rather to put up with a thoufand diflbnances, than to abate of his fpeed ; a fure proof that if his hand was the hand of Apollo, his ears were the ears of Midas, and that he felt no part of the mufic but his own/* It will adminifter fomc confolatlon to thofe whofe ears are not fo nicely attuned to concords of fweet found, to be well affured that they are not fmgular, and to be con- vinced, that if they have not the tafte, they do not err in judgment, if they forbear to feek with the multitude, what they can neither comprehend, nor enjoy, Vigneul Marville's defcription of a mufical entertain* ment has not been fo long drawn, as to in- duce us to queflion its faithful reprefenta- tion of thofe mixed and motley affemblies. ** Being in the country one day, (fays this txperimental ftudent in the power of mufic,) I had ( ^28 ) I had a mind to fee whether beafls, as it is commonly faid of them, take pleafure in mufic, V/hilft my companion was playing upon an infcrum.ent, I confidered attentively a cat, a dog, a horfe, an afs, a hind, fome €0ws, fome little birds, and a cock and hens, which were in the courtj below the window where we flood. The cat paid no regard to the mufic, and to judge by his phyfiognomyj he w^ould have given all the fym phonies in the world for one moufe ; he ftretched him^ felf out in the fun and w^ent to fleep. The horfe flopped £hort before the windov/, and as he was grazing, he raifed his head from time to time. The dog fat him down upon his bumb, like a monkey, fixing his eyes ftedfaftly on the mufician, and continued a long time in the fame pofture, with the air and attitude of a connoiffeur. The afs took no notice at all of us, munching his thiftles very demurely. The hind fet up her large broad ears, and feemed extremely attentive* The cows gave us a look and then marched off. The little birds in a cage, and in the trees, drained their threads, and fang with the ( 129 ) the utmoft eagernefs; whilit the cock minded nothing but the hens, and the hens bufied themfelves in fcratching the dung- hill." The experiment, it Is moft probable, was really made upon this group of animals, and their refpedlive behaviour faithfully reported ; but the application of the account belongs to our author. ** Imagine, fays he, thefe creatures to be human creatures, and you will have no bad reprefentation of one of our politeft aflemblies at a mufical perform- ance." After this reproof of the general afreda- tion of taftein the majority of the followers of mufical meetings, which only makes the parties ridiculous ; we may clofe our extrads from this elegant and claflic letter, with the moral leffon which concludes it. After all, •^ there is no harmony fo cliarming as that of a well ordered life, moving in concert with the facred laws of virtue. Human na- ture, indeed, cannot hope to arrive at this perfedion : the inftrument will fomctimes be out of tune j difallowances alfo and dilTo- K nances ( 130 ) nances will be fprinkled up and down ; hut they ought foon to give place to concords and to regularity, 'till the whole be clofed in, a; juft and agreeable cadence, and leave be- hind it a fweet and a lafting remembrance." Dr. Burney has confidered the foregoing letter as the produftion of Dr. Brown of Newcaftle, and has remarked upon it with fome degree of *' polemical acrimony," as is obferved by the editor of the laft republi- cation of this ktter on the mufic of the an- eients.* The afcription of this work to Dr. Brown muft have arifcn from Dr. Burney's having feen only the two anonymous publi- cations of it ; the third edition in 1775, bore the name of Dr. Jortin : what could excite *' polemical acrimony" in the hiftorian o>( mufic, when he might have paid the tribute of gratitude, is not worth enquiring. Having been led to digrefs from the exa- mination of the- remarks on the ecclefiaftical hiftory, by the two fmall intervening publi- cations * See " Tra6^s philological" ^'c. 179O. vol. ii. p. 29. note : where reference is made to Burner's " Hiftor.y of BiufiCj" vol, i. p^ I09y &s. { 131 ) critions on Tillotfon*s fermons, and on an- cient mulic j we will now revert to the or- der of time, and proceed to the confideration of the next volume of that work. In 1754 was publiflied the third volume of our author's '* Remarks on ecclefiaflical hiftory." Some part of the fubjedl of it had been announced in the preceding vo- lume, but the full compafs of it is well and fummarily defcribed in the dedication to archbifhop Herring. Here we are told that he had ** endeavoured to examine and difcufs, without adulation or diflimulation, with fober liberty and difintcrefted inquiry, the increafing of the church of Chrift in fplendor, and decrealing in virtue ; the ori- gin and progrefs of fuperftition and fpiritual tyranny ; the unhappy controverfies which fignalized the fourth century; the councils called to compofe thefe difputes, and never anfwering the purpofes for which they were defigned ; the charadlcr of the ecclefiaftlcal hiftorians who have tranfmitted to us the memory of thefe events ; the laws of the iirft chriftian emperor, which, like himfelf, K a had ( 1J2 ) had a mixture of good and bad -, the acconi- plifhment of the prophecies in the deftrudion: of the perfecutors of chriftlanity ; the flate of the jews ever fince their rejection, and the hopes which chriflians entertain that God, in his appointed time, will fliew mercy and favour to his once chofen people." The period of time to which the prefent volume is limited, is the reign of Conflan- tine, in the fourth century, which began A. D. 307. and clofed A. D. 337 *. It has been obferved, that *' as foon as chriftian fo- cieties began, debates began, and as foon as chriflianity was by law eftabliflied, debates grew more violent -f/' The truth of the re- mark is confirmed by the hiftory of the chriftian church under Conftantine, who firft gave it the fuppofed external advantage of an eflabU(hment by the laws of the empire. A chriftian emperor was a new charader ^ but the faith which he was defirous to preferve and * Sec " Unlvcrful Hiftory," vol. xiv. p. 80 and 12c. f Sec Prefiicc to firft volume of " Remarks on E, H**" p. xiii. ( ^23 ) and promote fuffered more from his protec- tion and patronage, than from the perfecu- tion of Diocletian. To die in a good caufe is gain to the faffe rer -, but to corrupt the chriflian faith by the application of imperial edifls, is to poifon the fountain, and to pro- trad its baneful .efFecft fo long as the dream continues to flow. It is indeed one argument in favour of chriftianity, that it was able not only to fapport itfelf, but to furvive the heavy perfecutions of its followers, as it be- fpeaks the fuperintending providence of God and is itfelf a fulfilment of the predidlions of his prophets : but, fupported in its cor- ruptions by the fecular povv^er, it is fcarccly able to hold up its head, becaufe it ceafes to exhibit its native charms to the reafon- able underftar^ding of man,kind. The foldiers under Conflantine, as they were marcliing againft Pvlaxentius, were made to conceive of a fliining or lucid crofs, which w^as faid to be fccn in the fls:y, as of a miracle v/rought in their favour, though mod probably it was no more than a natural ap- K 3 pearance^ ( 13+ ) pearancc. This perfuafion ferved to give enthuliafm to the army, and on this account his ftandard was made in the form of a crofs, to perpetuate this omen of fuccefs *. The worfhip of faints, martyrs and re- liques ; monkery, lying wonders, aufleri- ties, vows of virginity, pilgrimages, and a long detail of the like trumpery, derive their origin from the fourth century. Many of the converts from paganifm retained much refpefl: for their former fuperftitious rites, and the civil power countenanced their ad- miffion into the chriftian church. As the pagans, from honouring their heroes, foon began to deify them, the chrjftiaiis who were come over, or half-over from paganifm, be- haved themfelves much in the fame manner towards faints and martyrs. And when the times of martyrdom were paft, and that kind of courage and conftancy could not be exerted, pious * The Portuguefe have adopted this fymbol on their coin, with the furrounding legend, IN HOC siGNo vinces. Their fuperftitiqn is greater than their opulence, or it would be doubtful whether they referred to their reli- gion, neat as imported from Italy^ qr to their gold, as they receive it from Peru, pi-ous people contrived a voluntary martyr- dom, inflidled pains on themfelves, forfook their friends, retired into folitude, and re- nounced the innocent and even neceflary com- forts of life.. The hiftory of mo^nkery here given v^ill be foimd to be entertaining, lively and candid. As the arian controverfy conftituted a memorable part of the events of the age we are upon, fo it is here defervedly conlidered with fome minutenefs. A controverfy which made much noife, and did more mifchief. ** It was the occalion of innumerable lies, flanders, forgeries, pretended miracles, per- fecutions, banifhments,feditions andmurders, of many falfe and partial hiftories, and of a multitude of councils which produced only confufion and difcord." The council of Nice, where this controverfy began, is very juftly charadlerized, and the credit of all councils eftimated according to their proper value in the minds of honeft and peaceable chriftians. In the accounts of the ecclefiaftical hif- t-orians of the fourth and part of the fifth centuries, the character of Eufebius, the K 4 moft ( 136 ) moft learned bifhop of his age, and the flithcr of ecxlefiaftlcal hiftory, occupies the 'prin^. cipal part, in preference to thofe who are hi^ ulual companions. But Socrates the hifto- rian, Sozomen, Theodoret, and others are noticed in their turn. The Jaws of Conftantine, (mofi: of which may be found in the Theodofian code,) as far as they refpedcd the eftablifhment of chriftianity by protefting its friends and har- raffing and peffecuting others, are very judici- oufly remarked upon. Under Conftantius, (the Ion of Conftantine,) the fpirit of intolerance, diredled by a miilaken zeal, had fo greatly increafed the feverity of the laws againft paganifal, '* that facrificing, together with idolatrous worfliip, was made a capital crime." And in our own country the fame pious care was taken for the better eflablifli- ment of the trinity, when by an ordinance of parliament of 1648, the denial of that in- comprehenfible myflery was punidied by death without bcmjlt of clergy *. Thus the punifliment of pagan idolatry with death, unjuilifiable * See Scobell's " Colle61ion of adts," hz, p. T49. ( 137 ) unjiiilifiable as it was on every account, wa5 a precedent for infiiding the like fentence upon the worfhippers of the one only living and true God, the creator and governor of the v/orld. How fludtuating and convertible are all penal laws in religion ! Nothing can more clearly prove the dan- gers to which power and authority expofe their pofleffors, than the early '* tafle which chriftians acquired ior wkolefome feverities. Firft they deprived heretics of their places of worfliip, then they forbad them to afiem- bk any where, and then they fined, im- prifoned, baniihed, flarved, whipped, and hanged them, for the advancement of eccle- fiailical jurifdidion, and for the honour of chriftianity. Such were the dictates of pici^ lie wifdom. In the mean time, the hi (hops, in their councils, made canons forbiding any catholic to marry his children to heretics, or leave them any legacy, though they were {he neareft relations. ^' The laws againfi heretics collcvfted in the Theodolian code, ftand as a fliameful monu- ment of the perfecuting anti-chriftian fpirit, which ( 138 ) which brake out in the fourth century, and grew more and more violent in the following times." Mr. Jortin adds, by way of a general juf- tification of himfelf, that, '* it is the duty of hiftorians to give an impartial and juft ac- count of fuch cruel proceedings, that people may be taught to love their liberties, civil and religious, and to beware of thofe who would ftrip them ofthefe bleflings, and alfo, ut qui infontes damnaverunt ^ ipji caiifam dicant omnibus fceculis,'* The next view we are led to take of the hiftory of the chriftian church, is the un- timely and unufual deaths of many of the per- fecu ting emperors, princes, and magiftrates, in refped to the matter of fad, and alfo in reference to the prophecies concerning them. Mr. Jortin requefts the candid judgment of the reader by very properly recommending much caution upon this head. *' There is ufually much rafhnefs and prefumption,'* fays hp, *• in pronouncing that the calamities of fin- ners are particular judgments of God; yet, if, from facrcd and profane, from ancient and ( 139 ) and modern hlftorlans, a colleftlon were made of all the cruel perfecuting tyrants, who delighted in tormenting their fellow creatures, and who died not the common death of all men, nor were vifited after the vifita- tion of all men, but whofe plagues were hor- rible and ftrange, even a fcep tic would be moved at the evidence, and v/ould be apt to fufpeft that it was Osioi/ ri, that the hand of God was in it." In fupport of one part of this general ob- fervation, our author gives a long detail of thefe pcrfecutors, the peft and fcourge of re- ligion and humanity, whofe deaths were at- tended with circumftances correfpondent to the flagitious ads of their lives. And in fup- port of the fecond, he has particularly ad- verted to and delivered his conftrudtion of the hundred and tenth pfalm. The laft great divifion of the hiftory of the chrlflian church in the age of Conftan- tine, leads to the confideration of the flate of the jev/s -, and our author hath taken the account fo early, as from the deftruftion of Jerufalem by Vefpafian and Titus, and a fecond time by Adrian, continuing bis hif- tory ( HO ) tory through the fucceflive and almoft un- ceafing perfecutions which that people have undergone unto our ov^n time. In the courfe of this hiitory, cur attention is called to a prophecy of our lord's, in %yhich he fays, (John v. 43.) / am come in my father s narne^ and ye receive me not : if another Jhall come in his own namCy him ye will receive. And we are prefented with a long, and I had almoPr faid, a chronological, lift of falfe chrifts, from which it appears that the prophecy concerning them has frequently been fulfilled. Whence *'Itmayfeemftrange," as our hiftorlan very properly remarks, ** that the jews fliould have rejeded Chrid:, who gave them fo many proofs of his miffion, and yet fliould follow every impoitor, who pretended to be the meffiah, without offer- ing any fufficient or even plaufible evidence of it. The reafon is plain : our faviour by not fetting up a temporal kingdom, dafhed all their worldly views at once ; but the other claimers of the title of the meffiah began with promifes of delivering them from their ( HI ) their enemies, and reiloring to them their country and their loft liberties." The difficulties which the converfion of this unhappy people to the great and chear- ing truths of the gofpel of Chrift, make a neceffary and to us a very important part of our author*s difcuffion of his fubjedl. The queftion will naturally recur to every inqui- fitive and refiefting mind, — how is it that the jews continue to relifl: the evidences ofchrif- tianity ? and what meafures muft be taken to convince them of its truth ? — So far as re- fpeds the ftate of the greateft partof chriften- dom, it may be obferved, that the dodtrines and commandments of men are prefented to them as the docflrines of the gofpel, and all the com- plicated impieties of the romifh fuperftition are tendered as the teachings of Chrift ; here then is little room, according to our appre- henfion, to wonder at their perfifting to with- hold their aflent from a fyftem which has fg few and faint, if any, marks of a divine origi- jiaU *' The violence*' fays Jortin, " which a man muft offer to his own fenfes and reafon, and the ilavi(h deference that he muft pay to human { H2 ) human authority, before he can enter into that communion ; the divine honors given to the virgin Mary; the worQiip of angels, faints, crofTes, wafers, coffins, bones, rags, old iron, rcliques, piftures, and images, fup- ported by ridiculous miracles and traditionary lies ; the tyranny of the church, and the cruelty of the inquifition ; thefe are infupe- rable obftrudions to the converfion of the jews, and excite in them prejjidices againil: chriftianity that are too ftrong and too plaufi- ble to be eafily removed. The jews abhor idolatry, and every thing that borders upon it, and in popifli countries they have no notion of any other chriftianity than what is there profeffed, and what they fee before their eyes," All this may poffibly be very readily and to the apoftles creed in particular.'* We now begin to difcern where the diffi- culty lies. The office referred to involves much more than is here reprefented to be ex- prefsly demanded. And it is prefumed that the church of England would not require of her clergy to fubfcribe to articles^ liturgy, and homilies, which fhe does not think necefiarv for her lay-menibers to believe. The fad is, that when we defcend into any eftablifhment, as they are all now conftituted^ we feel, and L might '( 146 ) might as well as ingenunufly own, that we are cojifroiitcd by one objedtion of the jews, which we cannot anfvver. The further v/e proceed to particulars, the more decidedly does their objed:ion advance upon us. *' Another great and well known diiiiculty in the converfion of the jews (as alfo of the mahometans,) is the dodirine of the holy trinity, which they have always been taught to look upon as not reconcileable with the unity of God. All that I fhall fay to this," fays Jortin, *' is, that no one fhould attempt to remove this prejudice, and to fatisfy them upon this fubjedt, 'till he has brought them to believe the divine miffion of Jefus Chrift, and his charad:er as prophet, meflias, teacher of truth, and worker of miracles. If they will not admit the things relating to his offices and miniflry, it would be a vain and ufelefs under- taking to debate with them about the dignity of his nature. And when it is neceffary to proceed to that part of chriflianity, this doc- trine (hould be reprefented even as it is deli- vered in the new Teftament, and no other- wife : and then many things may be obfcrved concerning i H7 ) condernlng the Aoyo;, the angel of God's pre" Je?jce, and the angel of the covenant, from the old Tclliament, and from Philo, and from fome ancient jewiili writers." I have recited this faint direction for the fo- lution of this difficulty, as I find it among the •^ Remarks" before us ^ though, according to my apprehenfion, it is very inadequate to the demands of truth, or the nature of the cafe. Whatever may be obferved *' concerning the Aoyo?, the angel of God's prefence, and the afigel of the covenant y from the old Teftament, and from Philo, and from ancient jewifh writers," in fupport of the fcheme of the pre-cxiftence of Chrift, will ftrengthen, rather than remove, the objedllons both of the jews and the maho- metans ; the former of whom never looked for the meffiah in any other character than that of a man born of a woman, ^" however they may be otherwife miftaken concerning him ; and both jews and mahometans agree in the full perfuaiion that the Lord their God, is one Lord, the one caufe, creator, and governor of all things, without admitting any fcholaftic L 2 or * So llat^d by Jortin in his " Difcourfes" &c. p. 17. ( 148 ) or metaphyiiGal diftinftions or refinements, irr accommodation to the fyftems and inventions of thofc, who vainly aite(fl to be wife above what is written. Indeed, Mr, Jortin, while he retained thefe notions of the arian feheme, which, moft probably, were thofe which he embraced him.felf, had too cathohc a fpirit to wifli to incorporate h^s own notions into a public profeflion of faith, or to enlarge the apofcolic teft of our chriftian fellowihip pro- pofcd by Philip, who only faid to the eunuch, (Acts viii. 37.)- I/^ thou believeji with all thme kearty thou mayejl he hd.pti{cd. And he anfidered and faidy I believe that Jefus Chrifi i: the Jon (f God, The importance and fuffi- ciency of this declaration is apparent from the obfervation of our lord himfelf, who faid. This IS life eternal y that they may know thee^ the only true Gody and Jcfus Chrifi whom thou haftfcnt, (John xvii. j.) In confirmation of thefe remarks refpedl- ing the removal cf all impediments to the full difplay of the gofpel, and the confequent converlion of jews and mahometans, he ob- ferves, in the genuine fpirit of a chriftian and a proteftant v/ho v^e^l underllood his liberty, and < 149 ) and who fenfibly felt certain enc roach men t3 upon it, that ^^ the next ftep towards the increafe of Chrift's kingdom muft be a fur- ther improvement of chriflianity, and of thofe who receive and profefs it. The church of Rome, fays he, is not the only church that wants amendment. Other chriftian focieties which have feparated themfelves from her, and from her groffer defects, are departed, more or lefs, from the original fimplicity of the gofpel, and have mixed fome dodtrines of men with the word of God, and fo Hand in need of fome improvement. ** It is therefore to be hoped that a time will come when religion will have a fairer and more alluring afpe6l, when chriflians \vill be united, not in opinion as to all theo- logical points, for that is impoillble whilft men are men, but that they will be united in benevolence and charity, in intercomniu- nion, and in one .common and fimple profef- fion of faith ^ that their manners will be fuit- able to their profeifion, and that they will be more peaceable, more virtuous, and more pious i and then the external impediments to the cpnverfion of unbelievers v/ill in no fmall L 3 mcafure ( IJO ) meafure be removed. Thefe are amendments v/hich feem, befides human efforts, to re- quire fach a concurrence of favourable clr- cumfrances as fcarcely ever meet and are united, together with fupernatural aids, and an efifufion of divine gifts and graces. There- fore, it may be faid, fuch a change, fuch a rej^eneration of mankind is not to be ex- peded. And yet flrange things have been accomphfhed. Who that had ken the dread- ful deflrudlion of Jerufalem could have thought that the jewifh nation, fo enfeebled, fo difperfed, fo abhorred, and fo opprefied in all places, would have fublifted for feven- teen hundred ages ? Who that had beheld the beo-innin^s of chriflianitv, and the diffi- culties which it had to encounter could have imagined that it would fpread through the known world ? Who that had fctn a poor monk {ct his face againft popes and emperors, would have believed that the preaching of Luther fhould have brought about a reforma- tion, and the eflablifhment of the protcftant religion ? '* Nothing ( 151 ) *^ Nothing IS too hard for omnipotence : great and glorious changes, even a ?iew earth wberetn dwelleth righteoufnefsy may be pro- duced by inftruments and by methods of which we are now ignorant, and which it is vain to feek out by conjedures. Thefe fecret things belong to the Lord our God, and to him we mufc leave them. Our duty is to do all that lies m our power towards increaiing his dominion, by ftudying to underliand his gofpel, by a fober care and concern to live fuitably to its holy precepts, and by not only wifhing and praying, but endeavouring that his kingdom may come, and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven." When our author emphatically remarks that the church of Rome is not the only church that wants amendment y there can be no miilaking his m.eaning, nor any in- juftice done to his memory, by fuppofing that he had in his mind, the church of England, as now by law eftablifned. Upon this prefumption, concerning this, and other general liberal f^ntiments which arc plenti- fully fcattered over all his v/orks, his ene- L 4 mies. ( H^ ) mie?, who had acquired a tall:e, with certain early chriflians, for vvholefome feyerities, did not ceafe to reproach and fcandalize him; and, but for a better fpirit in the world at large, would have given fubftantial form to their diipleafure and refentment. So true is it of others, as well as of bilhop Gardiner, that they ** underfland the Slewing of lettuces, and the broiling of heretics, much better than the principles and precepts of chrif- tianity*:" but fince the ecclefiaftical market has ceafed to be furnifhed with martyrs, one half of the work of the orthodox is finilhed. An old proverb has it, that, *' cleanlinefs is next to godlinefs ; " and upon this being obferved in the ear of an Oxford profeffor, he abruptly replied, that ** in cookery it were a much better thing." The bidiop's adroltnefs in the culinary art, and the pro- feffor's cleanlinefs may now be innocently employed, without havirg human facrifices for the fubjec^ of their united proficiency. But, concerning the fpecific defeds in the ■eflablifhed church we are not exprefsly in- formed » * Sec *•' Life of Erafmus," vol. ii. p. 721. { 153 ) formed. It is, however, very obvious to me, that Mr. Jortlii would have been found among that very numerous body of learned and good men, who have cordially joined in the earneft widi of Tillotfon concerning the creed ufually called, the creed of Athanalius, that the church were well rid of it. A wifli that hath been repeated by a thoufand pens. For indeed its two primary properties are the fame with thofe of the creed of Cyril, who was prefident of the fa(5lious council of Ephefus, which confified of two parts; of curfes, and of doctrines : the curfes were intelligible, and the do6lrines were unintel- ligible. '* If it had been the reverfe," fays Jortin, ** it had been more for his credit."* Even good tempered trinitarians confider it as no imputation on their orthodoxy, to wifli the church well rid of a creed, which dif- credits every pretenfion to chriftian charity; and * In the ac?denda ; Mr. Jortin has fubflituted the follow- ing account of CyriTs confe/Hon of faith, (or his anathema- tifms,) "it was injudicious, obfcure, uncharitable, audi think not reconcileable with the holy fcriptures." A de- fcription which will as pointedly apply to tlie creed of Atha- nafius, as to the creed of C\ ril. ( 154 ) and politic trinitarians wifli it fecretly re- moved, left the minds of plain and honeft chriftians, fliocked at the impiety of its im- precat ons. lliould, in the fame rcmonftrance, raife their voices again it the contradiftions and abfurdi ies of its dodlrines. I do not imagine, however, that our au- thor looked with a more friendly eye to the dodrines than to the curfes of this creed ; for as the one offended againfc the natural mildnefs of his temper, and the benevolent fplrit of the chriftian difpenfation ; the other flood out againil: every principle of reafon, and every page of revelation. The moft explicit declaration of Mr. Jortin upon this head, that I can recoiled:, is that ** it ieeiiied to hira to be a fair inference from thofe p.ilages of the holy fcrlptures which concern the dignity of our lord's na- ture? that the. fon poiieired from all eternity all that the infinite love and infinite power and infinite wifdom of the father could com- municate." And vet, when we find fo able and dif- Gcrning a critic, and fo ingenuous a mind, obferving ( ^5S ) obferving jufl before, that becaufe St. John fays "all things were made by the worJy** and St. Paul fays that ** God made all things by his Jon,'* therefore the *worci -dnd the /or,', were one and the fame perfon, fuch an cbfervation •though common, and repeatedly refuted,''^ can only remind us of another, fta ted indeed to expofe the fallacy of fuch wretched dif- tortion and mifapplication of fcripture, There went out a decree Jrom Caefar Auguftus, that all the world jhoiild he taxed. Here we have a taxy but not a word of 2^ parliament^ And then to clinch it, throw in the text. Rejzder therefore unto C as far the things that are C2:far*Sj and I will be bound to ihew, fays my author, that you have as good a fcrip- ture proof for this article, as fome commen- tators have brought to authorize fome others that I could name.-f- ** The famous Poftellus, we are told, ob- ferved that there were eleven thoufand proofs of ♦ See particularly Lardner's " Letter on the Logos," p. 18. alfo p. 70 — 74. ( his Works, vol. xi. p. 95. and 120 — 124.) Lindfey's " Catechif}," p. 78 — 82. and hi$ *' Examination of Robinfon's Plea," p. 61 — 62. t See the " Cojifcflional,*' 3d, edit p. 422. note. ( 156 ) . of the trinity, in the old Tellament, in- terpreted rightly, that is, £Tv/xoXoyj>coaurixox«br On the other hand, Mr. Blaney, in his notes on Jeremiah xxiii. 6. in his late learned tranf- lation of that prophet, fays, he '' doubts not but fome perfons will be offended with hiiin for depriving them by his tranfiation of a favorite argument for proving the divinity of our faviour from the old Teftament ; a doc- trine v/hich drav/s its decif^'^ce proofs from th^ new Teflament only." So much could the vi- lionary conceits of Poftellus difcover, where Elaney ingenuoully owns he could honeftly find nothing. And, if we may here add an obfervation of Eufebius, and which has often been made {ince his time, and apply it tq Mr. Blaney 's decijive proofs of our Lord's fuppofed divinity in the new Teftament, it will, fo long as it can be fupported by truth, go a great way in juflifying very firong fuf-r picions againft the clear decifion of thefe imagined proofs. ** Our faviour hath taught us," fays this venerable hiftorian, *' what we ought to think concerning him, in order to obtain ( ^S7 ) obtain falvation : Godfo loved the ^UDGrld^ that he gave his only begot te?i fon, that whofoever belleveth in him, 7nay have life eternal. He fays not, he who knoweth his nature, but he who believeth in him.* In this variety of opinions, it is the way of fome to appeal to the deternninations of coun- cils, as the refidence of the colleded v/ifdom of the church. But our author has taken fome pains to ^\tv^y and has indeed de- monftrated that they are, in every view, un- deferving of any credit, confidence, or au- thority, not only as being prim.arily incom- petent to decide for others, but as having invariably abufed, perverted, and difgraced the oftennble defign of their meetings, -f- And indeed there is a fignificant old adage againft our abiding by the dodtrine of num- bers upon theological queftions, which is aptly applied by our author ; Eft turba fepper argumentum peilimi. Alexander * Eufeblus contra Marc, cited In " Remarks on E.H.'* vol. in. p. 163. t See " Remarks on E. H." vol. i. pref. p. xlv— xix. vol, iii. p. 53—72. and " Life of Er^fmus/* vol. i. p. 515. ( ^5S ) Alexander bil^op of Alexandria, it feenis, aiTumed to himfelf both the wifdom and the power of a general council, or, as we fliould fpeak, united in his own perfon the legiflativc and the executive powers, for he commanded Arius to come over to his fcntiments, and to quit his own : '* as if a man could change his opinions,** f^ys Jortin, *' as eafily as he can change his coat j" or, as if he had picked them up, as Sterne fome where writes, as a man would pick up golden pippins. V/here opinions are thus lightly enter- tained, there is no pretc:ifion to confider them as the real fentiments of the men who avow them ; and may therefore be transfer- rable in the fame eafy and indiiferent way, in which they were acquired. But the holders of them can never be confidered as ferioufly convinced either of their truth, or their im- portance, any more than the infamous colo- ' nel K , who Vv'heri Charles the fecond, of no lefs profligate memory, folicited him to turn papift, replied that he very willingly would have obliged his majefty, but that he had before promifed the grand feignior that if ever he changed his religion, he would tura mahometan. CHAPTER ( 159 ; CHAPTER V. Admitted to the degree of do6tor in divinity at Lambeth ; piibhflies his " Six dilTertations upon diiicrent fubjedls." 1755. Archbifliop Herring's friendfhip for our author was fhewn on different occafions by rendering him fubftantial fervices, by in- tending others in which he was not able to fucceed, and by general attentions which marked his regard and efreem for Mr. Jcrtin.* In * Mr. Jortin has left a manufcript note of his acquant- ance with and frieiidfliip for the archbifhop, an extradl from which as I find it in Nichols's Anecdotes of Bowyer, p. 261. note, and in the preface tothefiru vol. of the " Tracis philological," &c. p. ix. — xi. — " Archbifliop Herriiig and^ I," fays he " were of Jefus college in Cambridge ; but he left It about the time when I was admitted, and went to another. [ Benet college ]. Afcerwards, when he was preacher at Lincoln's Inn, I knew hi: si better, and viuted him. He v/as at that time, and long before, very intimate with Mr. Say, [Francis Say, efq. librr.riaii to queen Caro- line, and fecretary to five fucceeding biihops.of E^y,j his friend and mine, who lived in Ely-houfe -, and Mr. Say, to my knowledge, omitted no opportunity to recommend me ( i6o ) in tile year 1755, the archbidmp con^ ferred upon him the degree of doctor in divi- nity. *' I thought it too late in life/' writes Jortin in a private manufcript, *^ as I told him, to go and take it at Cambridge, under a profeffbr, who, in point of academical landing, might have taken his firft degree under me, when I w^as moderator. I was willing me to him* "When he was archbiHiop of York, he ex- pe'fled that a good living would lapfe into his hands ; and h« told Mr. Say, that he defigned it for me. He was difap- pointed in his expectation j fo was not I ; for I had no in- clination to go and dwell in the north of England. When Mr. Say died, [Sept. lo, 1748.] he aHced me, of his own accord, whether I fnould like to fucceed him in the queen's library : I told him that nothing could be more acceptable to me ; and he immediately \ikd all his intereft to procure it for me ; but he could not obtain it. A perfon, who is not worth the naming, [Archibald Bov/er,] was preferred to me by the felicitation of — it matters not who. " The archbifhop afterwards aflured mc of his ailiftance towards procuring either the preacherrnip or th^ mafterfliip of the Charter-houfe, where 1 had gone to fchcoL This project alfo failed ; not by liis fluilt, but by the oppofition of — it matters not who. " In conjundion with bifliop Sherlock, he like wife pro- cured for me the preaching of Boyle's Lectures. He alfo offered ( i6i > willing to owe this favour to him, which I would not have aiT^ed or accepted from any other archbifhop."* But, befides the complimentary accommo- dation of Dr. Jortin, in fparing him a dif- agreeable errand to Cambridge, as he ftates it above, he was alfo excufed fubfcribing the thirty-nine articles, agreeably to the privilege of difpenfing with fuch fubfcription, which is uniformly claimed and exercifed by the arch- biihops of Canterbury. It is not fo generally known ofFered me a living in the country, and, (whicli I efleemed a fingular favour) he gave me leave to decline it, without taking it amifs in the leaft ; and faid, that he would endea- vour to ferve me in a way that (hould be more acceptable. He did (o^ and gave me a living in the city. [St. Dun flan's in the eaft.J ** That fome perfons befides Mr. Say, did recommend me to him, I know, and was obliged to them for it. But I muft add, that on this occafion, they did only cr7riuhfi» o/^yriii', — fpur the free courfer ; and that he would have dons what he did without their interpofiticn. For a charatSter of this excellent perfon, Mr. Say, drawn up as was fuppofed by archbifhop Herring ; ,See Nichols's " Anecdotes of Bowyer." p. 261. note. * Sec the copies of the manufcript referred to in the pre- needing nott. M i 162 ) known as it ought to be, that a degree in di- vinity is conferred at Lambeth without tha previous fubfcription which 'm required by the univerfitles of Oxford and Cambridge. A cir- cumftance this, which would make it more eh'gible to many^ than the apprehenfion of merely performing the academical exercife be- fore a profeiTor, who might have taken hi& firft degree under the party who keeps the adl. It fhould not,- however, be infinuated that this exemption from fubfcription had any weight with Dr. Jortin : he lays nothing of it himfelf, and I am not difpofed to travel into the regions of conjedlure, but to relate a nar- rative of fadls, Hi^ readily renouncing, for a time, the ufe of the athanaiian creed, which we are told upon the authority of Whifton * > and * « About the year 1 736,"' %s Whrffon, ^' and before queen Caroline died, Mr. Jorton, a great and learned friend of mine, and from whom I afterwards received a remedy of Sir Edward Hirlfe's for a great diforder I was then in,, which by God's blelling, faved my life, told me, that the late duke of Somerfet, a great athanafian, once forbad his chaplain to read the athanafian creed, (which I imagined was occafioned by a fuggeftion from the queen ; to whom I had < ii>3 ) and from other inftances of his diflike of the ufe of that creed, which have been mentioned by a friend now living; together with his repeated exprefiions of difapprobation of fub- fcription, in its prefent form at leaft, which are to be foiind in the courfe of his writings -f-, raife fufpicions of this kind; but they are Only fufpicions. And as he afterwards fub- M 2 fcribed^ I haci complained, that although flie was queen, that creed was not yet laid afide :) whereupon Mr. Jortin left off the fame creed for fome time.** See Whifton's Memoirs, fecond edition, vol. i. p. 298 and 299. — Where he goes on to fay, " Mr. Jortin has alfo lately publiftied a very good book for the chriftian religion : which I fuppofe he believes, as do the reft of his brethren, but hard/y in earnejl^ fo as to fufFer any thing for iti Which believing in earneji^ it i« next to impoilible for one of his abilities to do, while he has not publicly repented of his having fo often formerly eurfed the Eufebians, or primitive chriftians.** Jortin*s life and writings were devoted to the advancement of learn- ing and rational chriftianity, but neither he, nor his ad- mired Erafmus, any more than father Paul, had the fpijit of Luther, or the determined temper of Whifton. f See "Remarks on E. H.** vol. ii. p. 225. and vol. iii. p. 85 and 86. " Life of Erafmus,'* vol. i. p. 198 and 199, alfo p. 609. See alfo his " Tra£ts philological," &c. vol. i. 417 — 427. for Sm<5tures on the articles, fubfcrip- $Ions> teftsj &c» ( i64 ) {cA'ihcd, more than once, on admiffion to his fubfequent preferments, they cannot be in- lilled upon with any confidence ; for I truft he would no more have violated the clear convlffions of his confcience, for the fake of a good living, than for the purchafe of an empty compliment. i^ome obvious remarks may be allowed us here, without hurt to our hiftory, which may the more eafily admit of them, as they are of real importance in their confequences> though not particularly concerned with the cafe or perfjn of Dr. Jortin. In this dif- penfing privilege, pofleffed by the primate, and which is alio extended to the granting difpenfatiens for h-olding^ two livings, it Ihould fcem there is more difcernment and difcreticn fuppofed to belong to his grace, than may be found in the colleded wifdom of the two univerfities. If the Lambeth honors and immunities are not bedowed upon too eafy terms, Oxford and Cambridge give theirs upon very hard ones. And as I do not apprehend that experience will juflify '^ny imputation againfl: the expediency of th^ archiepifcopal ( i6s ) archiepifcopal indulgences, the praflice it- felf, at once deftroys the commonly pre- fumed necefTity of the academical reftriilions. So, likewifc, if a difpenfition to hold two livings may be fafely granted without fub- fcription, may it not be aiked, on what rea- Ibnable principle can it be required for infti- tution to one ? And again, as fubfcription is iiot required of biihops at their confecration, wherefore is it demanded, and how can it confidently be required of priefts and dea- cons at their crdinatioii ? Bat we will proceed with our author. In the fame year (1755,) in which he was preferred to his degree in divinity, he pub- liflied his ** Six dilTertations on different fabjefts,'* which '* ar-e equally remarkable, (fays Dr. Knox) for taite, learning, origiiia- lity, and ingenuity."* They are upon ** fub- jedts theological, moral, and hiftorical, and as fuch," fays their author in a very fliort preface, '* of general ufe and application. The laft elBy,** adds he, *' is rather of the M 3 philological * Sec Knox's '•* EiTays/' as before. ( i66 ) philological kind, and intended for thofe who are fomewhat converfant with the claf- lic writers, and with the learned languages/' Thefirft, third, fourth, and fifth of thefe diflertations retain the form of fermons, and bear internal evidence of their having been compofitions intended for, and perhaps deli- vered from, the pulpit. The fubjefl: of theyfr/? differtation is " the dodlrines of divine affiftance and human li- berty." To this is prefixed, (Ephefians ii. 5.) By grace ye are faved. Our author, in the firft place, confidcrs the queftion as a meta- phyfical fubjeft, and then the various fenfes of the word '* myftery," and the nature and extent of that falvation promifed by the apoftle Paul. He next proceeds to difcufs the meaning of the word '* graces'* how our falvation is owing to this grace ^ and how it is owing to our own endeavours. The more general .fpread of calvinifm probably direfted Dr. Jortin to the confidera- tion of the fubjed: of this, and fome of the other diflertations in the volume before us, and they are well deferving of the ferious and ( ^6; ) and difpaffionate attention of all profeffing chriftians, particularly of thofe whofe warm imaginations may take the lead of their bet- ter judgment. ** As to the divine afliftanGC, or the ordinary influence of the holj fpirit upon the foul of man, it is not to be ex- pedted that we fliould determine how often and upon what occafions it is imparted, or explain in what manner it is performed, be- caufe it cannot be diftinguifhed from the operations of the mind itfelf, as every inge- nuous chriflian will own. No one can liiew where the adlion of the human fpirit ends, and where the action of the divine fpirit be- gins. But as man is a rational creature, and as reafon i« the nobieft. of his faculties, we may jmftly conclude tba^t the holy fpirit ads tipon him in a way conformable to his na- ture, and principally by ftrengthening and improving his underflanding, which will naturally have a good effedl upon his beha- viour 5 and confequently the fureft evidence a chriilian can give of having this divine afliftance, is, to reafon juflly and to a<3: ho- neftly. This, I fay, is the befl: proof or M 4 tcft. ( i68 ) teft, thongh it be one which will by no means pleafe or fuit fanatics and enthu- fiafts." In the conclufion, as the refult of the in- quiry, he obferves, that *^ when the fcrip* tures tell us in fome places that we are faved by '* grace," and, in other places, that good men work out their own filvation, there is no inconfiftency in this. They are faved by grace, becaufe without God's favorable af-^ fiftance and acceptance of their imperfedl en-? deavours, they could not of themfelves ac- quire eternal life ; and, at the fame time, it is no lefs true that they work out their own falvation, becaufe unlefs they exert their own powers, the grace of God alone, will in no wife force them to be faved. Thus God's working in or with us, and our working to- gether with God, are eafily reconciled. And fo likewfe are thofe places of fcripture in which the wicked are rcprefented ufually as hardening themfelves, and fometimes as being hardened of God. They harden them^ felves, becaufe it is by their choice, by their own obftinacy and perverfenefs that they be- come ( i69 ) come obdurate; and they are hardened of God, not by any proper and immediate a(ft of God depriving them of reafon and Hberty, or compelling them to do evil ; but quite on the contrary, by his continuing to give them both motives and opportunities to do well, which gifts being rejeded and abufed, are the innocent caufe, or the occafion of their greater wickednefs, and in this fenfe they are hardened by the very goodnefs of God. Befides, in the ftyle of the fcriptures, God is often faid to do, what he only per- mits to be done, and in all other languages alfo, the occafion is put for the caufe, both as to perfons, and as to things. I came not to fend peace upon earthy hut a f word, fays our lord ; that is, my gofpel, though it ought to produce peace and love, will prove the occafion of fi:rife and enmity. ** Thus the docftrine of divine grace, and the dodrine of free-will, or human liberty, unite and confpire in a friendly manner to our everlafting good. T he fird is adapted to excite in us gratitude, faith, and humility; the ( lyo ) the fecond to awaken our caution, and to quicken our diligence." The fecond dlffertation, being hiftorical, is written in a manner wholly different from the firft, though in fubjedl matter connefted with it. It is on the controverfies concern- ing predeftination and grace. The hiftory commences with the rife of this difpute between Pelagius, a defender of free will and human liberty, and Auguftin, who was a fatalift, about the beginning of the fifth century. The account down to the following century is chiefly abridged from Le Clerc. Concerning the fubfequent pe- riod, mention is made only of a few memor- able things relating to it. There is one obfervation deferving of par- ticular notice, not only as being peculiarly applicable to the controverfies on the prefcnt fubjedl, but to other very interefliing theolo- gical queftions, ** Never was there a dif- pute," fays he, " more embarrafl!ed than this; becaufe each party, being prefixed by fome troublefome confequence, endeavoured to £hun the difficulty, by ufing terms to which they ( lyi ) they gave a fenfe diiFerent from that which their adyerfaries afcribed to the fame words." Such conduct cannot be too feverely repre- hended, becaufe it is fubverfive of all ufeful knowledge and common honefty ; when prac-* tifed to elude the difcovery of truth, it is bafe and difingenuous ; when to fcreen the difputant from the confequences of his opi- nion, it is cowardly and unmanly. The fame difficulties have been introduced and multiplied, by the fame behaviour, in the difputes which have been held in the chrif- tian world relating to the dodrine of the trinity ; and this duplicity, veiled under the facred name of learning, is continued in our own times. Many modern as well as ancient writers have been wont to affed, in their writings, an accommodating foundnefs in the faith, who have, never thelefs, been ftrongly, and, I think, juftly fufpedled of not really entertaining the unequivocal import of the terms, or even the arguments they have ufed. But have artfully introduced unintelligible diftindtions, and cad them, like a mantle, pver the plain and reafonable, and genuine gof- pel ( 1 7? ) pel of ChrilT:. By this fad mifapplication of much learning and eminent abilities, which has, unhappily for the chrilllan caufe, been more pradlifed in theology than in philofo- phy, many ferious and important truths have greatly fuifered ; and the light attainable by the human mind, has been withheld from ^ifpelling the general darknefs which hung over the intellectual world at large. There is neither lefs prefumption, nor lefs fallibility in the decifions of a council than of an individual, if they be intended to affeft any befides the parties who perfonally and voluntarily concur in them. Our author very properly places them in that point of view, from which alone we can derive advan- tage from them ; for their hiftory being once known, (and the hiftory of one, is pretty nearly the hiftory of all,) the confequence follows of courfe. ** The diifcrent views and interefts of the church of Rome," (writes Dr. Jortin, who profelTes at the fame time to have been obliged to Le Clerc,) *' or the fadions w^hieh happened to be ftronger or weaker. ( 173 ) weaker, led her to abfolve and to condemn the felf lame dotfirine under different deno- minations. Each party either magnified or defpifed her authority, according as they were treated by her, and pretended to hold in abomination the opinions which had been anathematized as heretical, for fear of offend- ing her, whilfl they really maintained them under other names, and in other expreffions. The church of Rome condemned St. Au- guflin and St. Thomas without being willing to do fo, and defended the dodlrines of the fcmi-pelagians, or of the reformed, without fuffering them to be acknowledged. The di- vines, embarrafied by equivocal expreffions, and full of perplexity, could not diftinguifh friends from feres. The people, ffunned and heated -with thcfe difputes, took fide, with- out knowing wherefore. The powers aded, as is ufual, not with any difccrnment of the merits of the caufe, but by Intereft, and at the inftigation of thofc in whom they con- fided, without any reafon to depend upon their fincerity or their Ikill ; and oppfeffed and condemned one fide, without being in- formed ( 17+ ) formed of the truth, which if thej eccle- iiaftical aflemblies defended, it was by mere chance, as at other times they oppofed it no lefs at random i Their equivocal decifions were eluded by fubtle diftinftions which they dared not to difcufs* Violence was em- ployed to ruin a party, for fear of being treated in the fame manner> if it prevailed i and all thefe unrighteous proceedings wer^ malked with the godly pretence of maintain- ing orthodox dodtrines, which want nothing beiides liberty of confcience and a fair hear- ing, to fatisfy reafonable perfons and to plead their own caufe. It is to be feared that chriftians vi^ill purfuc the fame methods, of difputing about the means and helps to ob- tain moral goodnefs, without ftudying to pradlife the thing itfelf. This account, how- ever, may be of fome ufe to teach men how to behave in like circumftanccs, and to avoid the faults of others, without which a know- ledge of thofe quarrelfome tranfadions will be of fmall importance." From our author's apprehenfion of the re-* vival of the fedl of gofpellers, (who, according tQ ( t75 ) to Burnet, thought that if they magnified Chrifl much, and depended on his merits and inter-^ ceffion, they could not perifh which way foever they led their lives,) in the calvinifts of our own time, he no lefs candidly than juftly ob- ferves, that ** to reafon with fuch perfons^ fignifies little -, reafon, as well as learning, is what they fliun and difrcgard^ and to all your arguments they will oppofe their own feelings and experience. To opprefs and perfecute them is fcandalous in itfelf, and can produce no good efFe6l. Never was any man beaten into a right underftanding, and never did God give a blefling to fuch pro- ceedings. All that remains is to caution and exhort thofe who have not caught the infec- tion, and to try if we can in fome meafure fcrve and fecure the next generation." The ftate of our own country, at the time of the fynod of Dort, in the beginning of of the laft century, is reprefented in a way that holds more true in refpedt of the gene- rally prevailing opinion of individuals, than of the eftablifhed ecclefiaftical conftitutioa of the kingdom. Dr. Jortin fays, '* wc alfo ( t76 ) alfo were much divided in oar opinions con- cerning the controverted articles ; but ©ur divines having taken the liberty to think and judge for themfelves> and the civil govern- ment not interpofing, it hath come to pafs that, from that time to this, almoft all per-- fons here of any note for learning and abili- ties have bid adieu to calvinifm, have fided with the remonflrants, and have left the fatalifts to follow their own opinions, and to rejoice, (fince they can rejoice,) in a religi- ous fyftem, confifling of human creatures without liberty, dodlrlnes without fenfe, faith without reafon, and a God without mercy. ^ It will appear to any impartial perfon that fome qualification or abatement in this account is neceffary to bring it nearer to the matter of fadt. Cur divines had taken the liberty to deter- mine thefe queftions in favor of the calvinifls more * " This Aftem," obfcrves Dr. Jortin, " fo far as It re- lates to the eternal mifcrv of infants for the fault of Adam, i§ the very fable of the wolf and the lamb : Ante hos fex menfes male, ait, dixilli mihi. Refpondit agnus ; equidem natus non eram. Pater, hercuie, fjus, iiiquit, maleuix.it mihi. ( ^n ) more than half a century before the time of which he is fpeaking, not only fOr them- felves, but unfortunately for their fucceffors ftnd their pofterity; and had alfo fo effec- tually united themfelves with the civil go- vernment, that they became infeparable, al- though, alas ! they could not indemnify us agalnft the confequences of implicit faith. Heylin is obferved to *' have written the hiftory of the jive points, in which he en- deavours to fhew that the church of England, though willing to tolerate the calvinifts, yet hath always been of the opinion of the remon- drants/' Heylin's endeavours were not want- ing, but he was engaged in wafhing a black- inoor white, and we need not add, that he V/as unfuccefsful. But Whitby, with many others lince his time> who have taken the fcriptures alone for their authority, and writ- ten upon eledlion, reprobation, and original fin, have confuted calvinifm, as Jortin fays *' even to demonftration." The concluding reflexion, which imme- diately follows, is naturally fuggefled by the fubjeft, and is fg Angularly jufl and ftriking, N and ( 178 ) and does fo much honor to the liberal and enlarged mind that dictated it, that I cannot refifl: the temptation to tranfcribe it. ** He who is defirous to find religious truth, muft leek her in the holy fcriptures, interpreted by good fenfe and fober critlcifm, and em- brace no theological fyftems any farther than as they are found conliftent with the word of God, with right reafon, and with them- felves. A theological fyftem is too often a temple confecrated to implicit faith, and he who enters in there to worfhip, inftead of leaving his (hoes, after the eaftern manner, muft leave his underftanding at the door; and it will be well if he find it^ when he comes out agam. The third Differtation, on the *' duty of judging candidly and favorably of others, and of human nature," has for its immediate fubjedl the dodlrine of charity as recom- mended by the apoftle Paul, (i Cor. xiil. 5.) Charity — thinketh no evil. The general meaning of commentators upon this text, is admitted ; in other words, it is agreed that chriftian ^^ charity is not cenforious. ( 179 ) ccnforious, that It thinketh favorably of others when there is room for it, and think- eth not hardly of them, unlefs manifeft rea* fon require it." But, Mr. Bayle* having confidered this amiable difpofition inculcated by the gofpel, rather as an injudicious weaknefs, than as a good quality. Dr. Jortin undertakes the particular conlideration of his argument s and the fervice done to the caufe of revelation is both acceptable and feafonable, inafmuch as the reafoning of the French philofopher is much admired and adopted by his difciples unto this very hour. Our author very fully and impartially flates the objedion of Bayle^ uniting the fad objedted to, and the argu- ment produced in fupport of that objedion, and analytically proceeds to the confutation of them. And as the objedion is founded N 2 in * " Bayle,*' as Jortin obferves in the former DIflertatlon, p. 109, " in his difputes agalnft the wifdom and the good- nefs of God, being piiftied by his antagonifts, and com- pelled to declare what fort of a chriftlanhe pretended to be, prpfelled himfelf a predeftinarian proteftant of the moft rigid rprt; but no proteftant of any denomination ever was fimple enough to believe him," ( i5o ) in the mofl; debafing, as well as falfe, notions of mankind, Dr, Jortin vindicates the dignity of human nature, from the flate of the h&, and from the motives which may be fup- pofed to influence the human mind. The fceptics on this queftion, like the jaundiced eye, are apt to fee things through a disfiguring medium. ** As they have com- monly no good opinion of God, fo have they no favorable opinion of men y in fhort, fome of them," fays even our candid differtator, *^ have no efleem for themfelves, and find- ing little moral honefty at home, in their own breafls, they are willing to fuppofe the reft of the world to be no better.*' Before the fourth Differtaticn on ** the love of praife and reputation, and the proper bounds and degree of that love," — is placed. a text from the apoftle John, (xii. 4j.) For they loved the praife of men, 7nore than the prafe of God^ An unreafonable deference to the opinion and praife of men continues to this day a fad hindrance to the free and full declaration of faith in Chrift, a: it was with the greater paitt ( iSi ) !part of the jews in our lord's time. But iChefe perfons are not here condemned be- •caufe they loved the praife of men, but becaufe they loved it more than the praife of Gad. The fubjed is therefore divided ; and it is obferved and fhewn, that wc may love the praife of men in a certain degree ; but that our love of it ftiould be moderate. ** The love cf praife,'* fays he *' feems to te natural to us, and a part of felf-love. We love ourfelves ; we defire therefore that others fhould efteem us, fliould think and fpeak well of us ; w.e feem to multiply our- felves by having a place in the thoughts of fo many perfons, and to triumph in fome manner over our L^i/I enemy ^ when our name Survives with honor after we are gone hence. ^^ This general love of praife manifeftly tends to the good of fociety. This paflion encouraged in all polite nations hath been one of the great fprings and principles of ufeful and commendable actions both in the £ubj.edl and in the magiftrate. The dehre of N 3 reputation ( iSi ) , reputation hath taught men to defpife danger and to expofe their lives for the public, to undergo labor and fatigue, to fludy incef- fantly, to deny themfelves many pleafures j it hath made them defirous of furpaffing even the beft and the n^oft eminent. The love of reputation is neceflarily attended with the fear of difgrace and contempt, and the fear of difgrace hath reftrained fome perfons from bafe and difhoneft aftions, when no other tie would hold them, and religion itfelf was infufficient for that purpofe. ** Thus hath this paffion often proved advantageous to civil fociety; for it has allured men to do thofe adlions willingly and chearfully v/hich are never fo well performed when they arife from compulfion ; it has had an influence upon them v/hen other motives would have failed, when there was no recom- penfe to be expeded, when their fervices were repaid with ingratitude. The honor which men have purfucd fo eagerly cofl: the public little or nothing, and yet hath been more valued than riches by thofe who acquired it. A pidure, an infcription, "a fpear. ( iS3 ) fpear, a crown of oak or of laurel, a ftatuc, a public commendation, — for fuch' recom- penccs men have affronted dangers, and loft their lives. They vi^ho love to fet things in the leaft favorable light, may compare thefc heroes to the favages often mentioned in ijooks of voyages, who exchange flieep and oxen for a few beads and ribbands, or a bit of a looking- glafs/' The eflential advantages of charadler are ftrongly and juftly marked. ** Reputa- tion," fays he " fometimes brings with it feveral real advantages, and is more valuable to us in the efFedts which it produces, than it is in itfelf. A good charafter may ferve to many ufeful purpofes. It may raife us up friends, it may help us to acquire what is neceflfary for our fupport in life, it may enable us to do fervice to the unfortunate and the deferving, by giving us credit and weight amongft thofe with whom we con- verfe; our example by being obferved may incite others to imitate us; our reputation may be profitable to our pofterity ; it may be both an advantage and an honor to them to N 4 have ( i84 ) have defcended from us, and for our fake they may meet with kindnefs. ** We may obferve farther in behalf of reputation, that to efteem it feems to argue a good temper and a benevolent difpofition towards mankind. We pay refpecfl and civi- lity to our fellow creatures when we defire their approbation, and take fome pains to acquire and preferve it, and fet fome va- lue upon it. It is a fign that we honor them, when we are willing that they fhould honor us. On the contrary, they who flight reputation are ufually perfons who have no defire of excelling, no induftry, no fhame, and whom it would be no credit to re- femble.*' After this apology for, or vindication of, a reafonable love of fame, it feemed neceffary to account for the contrary fentiment, fo far as it has been maintained by refpeclable au- thorities. And Dr. Jortin is not one of thofe light infantry men, who flip beflde a difficulty which ftands fo diredly in the front againft them. f' It ( i85 ) " It muft be acknowledged/' he owns, ^-•' that there have been phllofophers', wife and virtuous men, recorded in hlftory, who have profeffed a great contempt for the praife and good opinion of others." But appre- hends *' their meaning was, that a man fhould periift in his duty, and defpife the cenfures of the ignorant and vicious multitude : or by condemning the love of praife they in- tended to condemn an immoderate love of it, and a (lavIlL regard to it in all our adtions : or they had, amongft many good qualities, a little pride and Angularity, they defpifed too much the bulk of mankind, and therefore delired not their approbation : or perhaps they expeded to be admired on that very ac- count, and to find elleem by fliunning it ; as indeed it often happened to them, for reputation will fly from thofe who pur- fue her in an improper manner, and will purfue thofe who feem to fly from her, if they deferve her favor : laftly, they owned, that although the applaufe of the populace was of no value, yet the approbation of the wife and good was a thing defirable. Thefe few ( i86 ) few perfons excepted, the reft of the defpifers of reputation have been fuch as had no repu- tation to keep or to lofe." The clofe of this part of the argument is well worth our notice, although it lengthens our extract beyond the ufual proportion of the whole. ** From thefe obfervations con- cerning praife we may conclude, that the love of it if it be not immoderate, and leads us into faults. Is lawful ; for fmce this love is natural to us, lince the common intereft re- quires that it (hould be encouraged, and thofe nations have flourifhed moft, in which praife and honor have been judicioufly beftowed and generally purfucd, — iince the poflefiion of it may prove beneficial to ourfelves and to our friends and to our pofterity, and hurtful to mone, — fince a defire to ftand fair in the opi- nion of others is a refpefl: and civility paid to our acquaintance, to our fellow^citlzens, and to hunaan nature, — fince a contempt of repu- tation appears blameable, and often proceeds from very bad caufes, — fince the holy fcrip- tures condefcend to comply with our inclina- tions for it, and permit us to feek it, and propofe ( ^Sj ) propofe It fometimes as an incitement to vir- tue, — fince our lord conferred it as a reward upon a grateful and a generous adlon, (Matt. xxvi. 10—13.) ^^ fcems to follow that it may be ranked, if not amongd thofe things which ftridly and truly deferve to be called good, yet, at leaft, amongft thofe things which are convenient, which may be in fome degree efteemed, without any difgrace to our reafon, or injury to our religion." Thefe arguments are entitled to their pro- per weight, but will admit of fuch qualifi- cation as may correal an immoderate love of praife, and prevent our advancing from the ufe to the abufe of a paflion, which may be made produdive of much happinefs. ** The love of reputation is" admitted to be *^ a paffion, and as fuch that it may be carried to excefs; but," it is added, that ** of all the paffions it is perhaps the lead apt to miflead us. A defire to be efteemed by good and worthy perfons incites us to imitate thofe whofe approbation we feek. The love of riches, the love of fenfual plea- fures, the love of idlenefs and of everlafting amufements. ( in ) -aniufemcnts, the love of arbitrary power and dominion, thefe are the inordinate afFedions, and thefe the objedls which feduce men from their duty;, and from the way to eternal hap- pincfs ; and they lofe the race whilft they ftoop to gather up .thefe golden apples." Under the fecond divifion of the fubjecfl, it is faid, and faid very juftly, that *' we muft take care that our love of reputation be difcrete and moderate, free from pride, affec- tation, vanity, forwardnefs, conceit, envy, detradion, and hypocrify." Even from reafpns of good policy and eX' pedience w^e muft not love the praiie of the world too much, becaufe we may not be able to acquire it ; becaufe we may fufFer in our r:eputation undefervedly, and ought to bare it patiently ; becaufe praife is often fo ill be* flowed, that even upon this account it is lefs valuable than it would elfe be ; becaufe it is almoft impoffible to enjoy reputation in its full extent ; and becaufe it may be hurtful to thofe who do poffefs it. For '* in bad times, and when they who are in high fta- tions are greatly corrupted, and wicked men bear ( x89 ) bear rule, it is a dangerous thing to be be> loved by the public, and to deferve k, and hii^- tory will inform us of not a few who have fuf- fered upon that account." Again, ** we fliould not be too fond of reputation, becaufe we may not only be difappointed and little efteemed, but God may permit in very kindnefs to us, and for our own benefit, either to chaftife us for fome faults which we have committed> and to mortify in us pride and vanity, or t© keep from us a reward which would fpoil our bell difpofitions." So likewife, " if by an exceflive fondnefs of reputation we make it the principle and the end of our adtions, it will certainly miflead us, and probably give us much uneafinefs. There are duties which fometimes through the perverfenefs or igno- rance of the public are out of fafhion, and produce contempt or hatred. He who is greedy of applaufe will often negleft fuch duties, and fall into reputable vices ; he will never have the courage and the greatnefs of mind to purfue what is right through good report and through evil report. This was the cafe in the time of our faviour. Many there were ( ^90 ) were who believed on him, but becaufe of the pharifees, they did not confefs him, left they ihould be put out of the fynagogue; for they loved the praife of men more than the praife of God. " An exceiTive defire of praife, joined, as it often is, ' to a fear of ridicule, or to falfe notions of honor, hatn done inconceivable mifchief in thew^orld. So alfo, he who hath his reputa- tion principally in view, lies often under temptations to play the hypocrite, and to pre- tend that he poflefl'es every excellence by which he fees others obtain honor. Hence, he indulges a paffion which may deftroy his peace, and quiet, and perhaps treafureth up to himfelf difappointment and uneafinefs. *' From the foregoing remarks, (which are abridged from our author,) we may make this conclufion, fays he, that reputation may be numbered am^ongft the things which arc de- Arable and advantageous. We may ufe all law- ful means to acquire it, and to fecure its con- tinuance ; and if we be careful and induftrious in unng the proper means, we have com- monly a fair prqfpeft of fucceeding. The caprice ( 191 ) caprice of the great and powerful cannot de- prive us of this reward at leaft. . They can neither give it, nor take it away; and it is very well for the world that they cannot. The love of reputation, when diredled by rea- fon, is allowable ; but reafon muft govern, and not be governed. Our love of it muft be moderate : we muft love it as a thing, which though pleafant and profitable, is precarious, attended with fome inconveniences, not ea~ fily kept, and fometimes undefervedly loft, and, laftly, of no ufe to us beyond the grave. We whofe continuance here is fo fhort, are fcarcely born for this world, or for any thing that this world can beftow. Our reputation we can enjoy no longer than v/hilft w^e live. A reputation after death, if it only begins then^ is of fmall value ; it is like a favorable wind after a fhip wreck. When we go hence, what good can arife to our own perfons from it ? Here we muft leave it, and here it will remain and furvive for a greater or a lefler number of years, as time and chance iliall determine. *' Good actions are a treafurc which we carry hence with us. If we are fecurc of thefe, it i$ ( m ) IS no matter if the world be negligent of li?,- and we pafs over our days unregarded, and porterity know not that ever we had a being; Our virtues are immortal, and true honor will be their recompenfe> an honor which we fhall receive from God, from hcly angels, and frorri juft men made peffecl, and which fhall con- tinue to all eternity. And this feems to fug- geft one reafon for Vv^hich we fhould have fome tafte^ and entertain fome value for repu- tation here, becaufe reputation may be part of our rev^ard hereafter/' *' The hifiory and the charafter of Balaam," eonftitute the fubjecft of xki^ fifth Differtation ; taking the text from Num.bers xxii. 12, And God faid unto Balaam ; thou Jkalt not go with them : thou fialt not curfe the people ^ for they are hlefied. The reafon why our author undertook to explain and vindicate the hifiory of Balaam, as recorded by Mofes, which, as he juftly fays, is extraordinary in all its parts, was, becaufe " it contains difficulties which have exercif- ed the abilities, and divided the opinions of religious inquirers, it hath been matter of cavilling ( 193 ) cavilling and of fport to unbelievers, and it affords moral inilrudlion of great importance and of general ufe." Thefirft queftlon that is afked, is. How came Mofes to the knowledge of thefe tranfadions r And Dr. Jortin anfwers, that as there is no intimation given, fo there is no reafon to ima- gine, that he had his knowledge by revela- tion. He had it then by information, which he might eafily obtain concerning an event in bis ow^n time, and in the neighbourhood. The fulfillment of the predictions of Balaam, leave no doubt of his being a prophet. He was a prieft, and '^ feems alfo to have been a worfhipper of the true God ; he dwelt in Mefopotamia, by the river Euphrates, at a confiderable diftance from the Moabites. His reputation was great, and extended through the nations round about, and he was thought to have fuch intereft in heaven, that vvhomfqever he bleffed was blefled, and whomfpever he curfed, was curfed. " The king of Moab, therefore, terrified at the approach of the Ifraelites, at the rapi- dity of their conquefts, and at th^ deftruilion O of ( 194 ) of the warlike nations of the Amorites and of other people, confulted with his neighbours the Midianites, what they ihould do for their common fafety. It was agreed upon that they fliould fend an embally to Balaam, and prevail with him, by the force of in treaties joined to the ftronger force of the prefents, to come and curfe the Ifraelites in a religious and fo- lemn mariner." All this was done agreeably to notions which then very generally prevailed, and which were pradifed afterwards by the Romans. The application of the Moabites to Balaam to curfe the Ifraelites was twice relifted by him, in a m.anner becoming a prophet and fcrvant of God. Afterwards we read, tind God ca?ne to Balaam at nighty and faid. If the men come to tell thee^ rife up, and go with them ; hut yet the word which I Jhall fay unto theCy that thou /halt do. So he went ; And God V anger was kmdled becaufe he wenty and the angel of the Lord food in the way for anr adverfuy againfl him.'' — ** Various folutions, and not improbable,^ fays Jortin, have been offered to reconcile this account^ that God (hould ( 195 ) fhould give him leave to go, and yet be offended at him becaufe he went. But the angel of the Lord faid to him afterwards, / iDcnt out to ^ by the way. Dr. Jortin had always been upon intimate terms, and for whom he had a great efteem, died January 9, 1762; and Dr. Olbaldifton, who was alfo his friend, and then bifliop of Carlille, was pro- moted to the fee of London. So early as the loth of March that year. Dr. Jortin was ap- pointed chaplain to bifliop Ofbaldifton, and about the latter end of the fame month was collated by his lordfhip to the prebend of Harlefton, in the cathedral church of St. Paurs. In the following Odobcr, the bifliop gave him the vicarage of Keniington, worth about 300I. a year ; focn after which he quitted his houfe in Hatton Garden, and went to refide there. 82 In * See Dr. Heathcote's Account of him, prefixed to his •' Sermons," p. viii. and ix. ( 26o ) In 1763, Dr. Jortin affilled Mr. Markland in correding the proof fiieets of the ^' Sup- plices mulieres" of Euripides, in quarto. He had before done the fame for a little treatife by the fame learned gentleman, entitled, *' De G rce cor urn quinti declinatione imparifyllabica, et inde formata Latinorum tertia, Quseftio grammatica/' which had been firft printed in 176 1, and was now annexed to the *'Supp]ices mulieres." — Of our author, it is faid in an advertifement prefixed; *' Abfente audlore, vicem ejus ad prelum fufcepit vir dodliffimus Joannes Jortin us S. T. P. cujus erudita^ curse multum debere hanc editionem profitetur commentator."^ Biiliop * See Nicholses " Anecdotes of Bowyer," p. 262, and 20.-— And in the Oxford edition of Euripides, the learned editor Dr. Aluf^rave, thus writes vol, i. p. 382. (but which I tranfcribs from the Gent. mag. for 1788, p. 121.) *^ Jortin*, quas hie aliquoties commemorantur, notae, cum mukis aliio ex margine codicis, quo utebatur vir dofiiflimus, clefcriptae font, et in meos Oxonio tranfmifTae. Earum maximam partem vel in erratis typographicis corrigendis verfari deprehendimus, vel ex aliorum criticorum libris ipe- moriai caufa exccrptam eflc : omninoque perpaucas efFe, quae Jortinum auvStorem agnofcerent : quarum eas tantura prctulimus, in qnibus elegans illud et acutum ingenium uiaxinie cluccre \ iucb.tur." ( 26i ) . Bifliop OfbaldiQon gave a repeated proof, about a month before his death, of his deter- mined patronage of our author by appointing him archdeacon of London in April 1764; and it has been generally faid that the bifliop had offered him the redlory of St. James's, Weftminfter, upon the death of Dr. Samuel NicoUs in November 1763; but that he chofe to continue at Kenfington, that being a iituation he much liked, and better adapted to his then advanced age. Mr. Phillips publiflied the '' Hiftory of the life of Reginald Pole" in 1764 -, v^hich Is, fays Dr Neve, ** a laboured, plaufible infult both upon the civil and ecclefiaftical liberties of this country i"* andwhich,Dr. Jortin fays, was '* undertaken to recommend to us the very fcum and dregs of popery, and to vilify and calumniate the reformation and the re- formers, in a bigoted, difmgenuous, and fuperficlal performance. "-f- This deiign of writing, *^ with a view to excite in us a favorable opinion of himfelf and his party^ S 3 required * Dr. Neve's Preface to his " Animadverfions,'' I Dr. Jortin's Charge, vol. vii. of his Sermons, p. 375. ( *62 ) required fingular qualifications."* Such it feems as Mr. Phillips did not abound in. Dr. Neve and Dr. Glocefter Ridley feverally undertook to vindicate the dodrine and cha- ra<3:er of the reformers from the falfe repre- fentations and injurious refledtions of Mr. PhilHps; the former in fome ** Anlmkdver- fions" upon, and the latter in a *' Review'* ' of the hiftory in queftion, both publifhed in 1766. Dr. Jortin communicated ** Some remarks upon Mr. Phillips's hiftory," to Dr. Neve, which were printed at the end of his work.-f- In thefe, our author obferves generally on Mr. Phillips's invedlives againft Erafmus, (with whofe works he feemed to he entirely unacquainted, and whom he reprefented as a wretch void of all religion,) that they are the fcum and dregs of the accufations which blockheads, bigots, fanatics, and hypocrites, have fo plentifully thrown out. But that there were writers of the Romi(h communion, who had * Dr. Jortin in App. to Neve, and p. 43. of " Trails.'* t In Appendix, number i. and republifhed in " Tracls philological," &c. vol. ii. p. 37-— 44. ( 263 ) had treated Erafmus with decency and can- « dor, as Thuanus, Du Pin, Richard, Mar- follier, &c. ** If the Romanifts had fully and freely granted the cup to the laity, and marriage to the clergy, it might have been an ugly blow to lutheranifm/* This had been ob- ferved before by Dr. Jortin in another place,^ but he here brings the remark a little nearer home, and which is peculiarly applicable to the fpirit and fome late manoeuvres of certain '* friends and fellow churchmen" of our own time.-f- ** But," fays he, ** by refusinq TO GIVE UP ANY THING,, HOW ABSURD SOEVER; AND BY ATTEMPTING TO PRE- VAIL WITH THE HELP OF THEIR OLD SUPPORTERS, FIRE AND FAGGOT, THEY EFFECTUALLY ESTABLISHED THE RE- FORMATION." S 4 Dr. * See before, p. 249. f Such was the appellation given by the earl of Aylesford and fome of the gentry and clergy in Warwickfhire in an addrefs to the incendiaries of Birmingham, in the very a(£t of committing the ever memorable outrages there, in July J79I. ( 264 ) Dr. Jortin republifhed the three volumes of his Remarks on ecclefiaflical hirtory, in 1767, in two volumes odavo, — not reducing the matter, but the fize of the type,. The pofthumous continuation of this v/ork in two other volumes, nov/ takes the numerical diflindlion of the third and fourth, as will be {Qcn hereafter. Dr. Jortin continued to live in the then vicarage houfe at Kenfmgton, dividing his time betv/een his paftoral fundions and his iliudy, enjoying himfdf with his ufual fere- nity, till the 27th of Auguft 1770, when he was ftized with a diforder in his breaft and lungs. He grew continually worfe, notwith- ftandlng all m.edical afliftance; and without undergoing much pain, in the courfe of his illnefs, or his underftanding being in the lead impaired, he died the 5th of September, in the 72d year of his age.* The lafl words * " I have twice perufed Bacon's ingenious " Hiftory of bis life and death." It recommends abundance of things to be taken, and a variety of rules to be obferved, with a view to make life healthy and long. But of thefe prefcrip- tions many are too dear, and almoft all too troublefome ; and ( 26s ) words of this defervedly eminent man, were exprefled in the anfwer he gave to a feniale attendant who offered him fome nourifliment, a very {hort time before his departure, whea he faid, with great eompofure, " No ! I HAVE ENOUGH OF EVERY THING.*'* He left the following diredlion in writing for his funeral : ** Bury me in a private manner by day-light at Kenfington in the church, or rather in the new church-yard, and lay a flat ftone over the grave. Let the infcription be only this : Joannes Jortin mortalis esse desiit Anno salutis [mdcclxx] i^TATIS [lXXII] • He and a long life Is not tantu Few perfons could procure all thefs fubftdia : a lord chancellor, or a lord biihop, might ; a poor parfon could not afford the hundredth part of the expenfe. But, for their comfort, I will be bold to tell them, that they may fare as well without his regimen. As to myfelf, I never obferved any of his rules, or any rules at all, except the general ones of regwlarlty and temperance. I riever had a ftrong conftitutlon ; and yet, thank God, I have no bad ftate of health, and few acute diforders." From his " Adverfaria," publiflied in the advertifement prefixed to " Tracts philological*' &c. p. viii. * Nichors " Anecdotes of Bowyer," p. 626. ( 266 ) He was accordingly buried, about nine o'clock in the morning, in the new church-yard at Kenfington, and the above infcription was put on his grave ftone. Dr. Jortin left a widow, [who died June 24, 1778, and was buried in the fame grave,] and two children, Rogers Jortin, efq. of the Exchequer office, Lincoln's Inn, and Mar- tha, married to the rev. Samuel Darby, formerly fellow of Jefus college Cambridge, and now redlor of Whatfield, near Hadleigh, Suffolk. We have various teftimonies which will lead to form a tolerably correct notion of the true charader of our author,* and thefe may well fpare any laboured delineation from the prefent writer : and more cfpecially as the general review of his writings, which will be found in the prefent pages, will qualify every reader to judge of our author for himfelf. '* Belides great integrity, great humanity, and other qualities which make men amiable as well as ufeful, this learned and excellent perfon," * See p. 2i6j note. ( 267 j perfon/* fays Dr. Heathcote, " was of a very pleafant and facetious turn, as his writ- ings abundantly fliew. He had neverthelefs great fenfibility, and could exprefs himfelf with warmtii, and even fome degree of in- dignation, when the thought the occafiou warranted him fo to do. For inftance, he had a great refpefl: and fondnefs for critical learning, which he fo much cultivated ; and though he knew and allowed it to have been difgraced by the manners of certain proud, faftidious, and infolcnt critics, fuch as Scaliger,* Salmafius, Scioppius, &c. yet he thought the refloration of letters, and the civilization of Europe, fo much indebted to it, that he could ill bear to fee it contemp- tuoufly treated : and to this may be imputed the little fatirical ftrokes which fometimes occur in his works, againft thofe who did fo contemptuoufly treat it. *' For ♦ Of an oration of Julius Caefar Scaliger, Jortin fays " the whole is feafoned with arrogance, vanity, felf-ap- plaufe, fplte, and fcurrility, the ufual ornaments, not of a meek and quiet fpirit, but of a ruffian and abruifer in the republic of letters." " Lif# of Erafmus," vol. i. p. 5^9. ( 268 ) '* For the motto of his Life of Erafmus, he chofe fome words of Erafmus himfelf : ** Illud certe praefagio, de meis lucubra- tionibus, qualefcunque funt, candidius judl- caturam pofteritatem : tametii nee de meo feculo queri poffum." Yet it is certain that he had very flight notions of pofthumous fame or glory, and of any real good which could arife from it ; as appears from what he had collefted and written about it in a note on Milton, at the end of his Remarks on Spencer.*' He could fometimes complain, and doubtlefs with good reafon, of the low cdimation into which learning was fallen ; and * See p. 179, or " Tra6ls philological," &c. vol. I. p. 325, where certain remarks on this head are clofed by the^ following, — " If we have the mortification to fee our works die before us, we may comfort ourfelves with the confide- ration, which Seneca fuggefts to us, that a time will come, when the moft excellent and admired compofitions fhall pcrifh. Nor is the confolation much fmaller, which offers jtfelf to us, when we look back, and confider how many good authors there muft needs have been, of whom no memorial is left ; and how many, of whom nothing but the bare name furvives i and how many books are extant indeed, but never read. Aufer ( 269 ; and thought it difcountenanced and dii- couraged, indirectly at leaft, when ignorant and vvorthlefs perfons were advanced to high ftations and great preferments, while men of merit and abilities were overlooked and negleded,* Neverthelefs, he laid no undue llrefs upon fuch ftations and fuch preferments; but Aufer ab hinc lacrlmas, Barathro, et compofce querelas. Luinina fis occulls etiam bonus Ancus reliquit, Qui melior multisj quam tu, fuit, improbe, rebus, Lucretius iii. ver. 967, 1038. To thefe motives of contentment under fuch circum- ftances, I need not add, what every neglected author fays to himfelf, that the age he lives in has no tafte." * Dr. Knox, in the former editions of his EfTays, as has been obferved before, p. 93, note, had faid the fame thing, which for fome rcafon or other, that cannot be fuppofed to invahdate the fa£^, he has fmce omitted. An anonymous writer, in the Gent. Mag. for Auguft 1773. (vol. xHii. p. 387 and 388.) who fays he was many years intimate with him, and had in general much fatisfadion in his com- pany, as with him he was unreferved, obferves that Dr. Jortin had fome private fortune of his own and was of a peculiar difpofidon that could not foUcit preferment, nor could bear to be negle<5ted, but with fevere reflevStions on thofe who preferred the ignorant, and negledled the learn- ed ; — that " his temper was rather morofe and faturnine, as was his afpe6l. In company he liked, he was at all tmies ( 270 ) but entertained jnft notions concerning what mull ever conllitute the chief good and hap- pinels of man^ and is himfelf believed to have made the nioft of them."* *^ Where/' fays he in his Adverfaria^ ** where is happinefs to be found? Where is times facetious, but mixed with a large quantity of jalcen- Jura fuperiorwru His fermons were fenfible, argurnenta- tivcj and to the purpofe ; but delivered in fo negligent a manner^ and with fo little emphafis, us to make little im- preflion on the audience. He was a virtuous man, no bigot, but pretty free in his thoughts on fome controverted points J which yet he had not courage always to avowj reading and difapproving the Athanalian creed at the fame time." Another writer, in the fame periodical work, for Dec. 17775 (voL xlvii* p. 595.) obferves that " his fer- mons, pleafed much more in the clofet than they did from the pulpit, the preacher wanting all thofc graces which Herring fo eminently pofTclTed, and in truth delivering his difcourfes with fuch a ruftic monotony, and fuch an inat- tention to flops as well as to cadence, as nearly to refembk a fchool-boy repeating a taflc, or rather another perfon's tafk. In h-is manners, too, there was a kind of rufticlty which fometimes difgufted thofe who did not know him^ though he had gentlenefs and true urbanity in his mind."— - A venerable friend told me, that he was " very fubje6l to be out of humour, but was chearful and pleafant when in fo- ciety, and feldom came out while the wind was in the eaft/* * Dr. Heathcotc's " Account," p. xi— xiii. ( 271 ) IS her dwelling-place ? Not where we feek her, and where weexped to find her. Hap- pinefs is a modeft reclufe, who feldom fhews her lovely face in the polite, or in the bufy world. She is the fifter and companion of religious wifdom. ** Among the vanities and the evils which Solomon beheld under the fun, and which we daily behold, one is this ; an accefs of temporal fortunes, to the detriment of the poffeflbr; whence it appears, that fuch prof- perity is a dangerous thing, and that few perfons have a head flrong enough, and an heart good enough, to bear it. *^ A fudden rife from a low ftation, as it fometimes ihews to advantage the virtuous and amiable qualities which could not exert themfelves before; fo it more frequently calls forth to view, and expofes to open light thofc fpots of the foul* thofe bafe difpofitions and hateful vices, which lay lurking in fecret, cramped by penury, and veiled with diili- mulation. *' An honeft and fenfible man is placed in a middle ftation ; in circumftances rather fcanty than abounding. He hath all the neceflaries, hut ( 2/2 ) but none of the fuperfluitles of life ; and thefe neceffaries he acquires by his prudence^ his fludies, and his induflry. If he feeks to better his income, it is by fuch methods as hurt neither his confcience nor his conftitu- tion. He hath friends and acquaintances of his own rank: he receives good ofEces from them, and he returns the fame. As he hath his occupations, he hath his diverfions alfo ; and partakes of the iimple, frugal, obvious, innocent, and cheerful amufements of life. By a fudden turn of things, he grows great, in the church, or in the ftate. Now his fortune is made ; and he fays to himfelf, ** The days of fcarcity are pail ; the days of plenty are come; and happinefs is come along with them." Miftaken man ! It is no fuch thing. He nevermore enjoys one happy day, compared with thcfe, which once {hone upon him. He difcards his old companions, or treats them v/ith cold, difrant, and proud civility. Friendfliip, free and open con- verfation, rational inquiry, fmcerity, content- ment, and the plain and unadulterated plea- fures of life, are no more: they departed from him along vv^ith his poverty. New connexions. ( 273* ) connedlions, ne.v profpeds, new defires, and new cares take place; and engrofs fo much of his time and of his thoughts, that he neither improves his heart nor his under- ftanding. He lives ambitious and reftlefs | and he dies — rich."* Whether Dr. Jortin was difappointed in his expedtations of notice and prefermxcnt from his fuperiors, it may not be very eafy to determine with any Certainty. It is well known that he was very flenderly provided for 'till archbi(hop Herring gave him the living of St. Dunftan's in the caft in 175 1, and biihop Ofbaldifton the vicarage of Kenfingtoii in 1762.— In his addrefs to his friends at the conclufion of his preface to his Life of Erafmus, which w^e have be* fore cited j-f* and from what he fays further of himfelf at the clofe of that work, we may be inclined to think with Dr. Knox, that ** he did not repine." In this laft place, having remarked the high ftomach of the * Dr. Jortin's *' Adverfaria," cited in Dr. Heathcote*s Account, p. xiv.— xvi. and in '' Trails philological," &c, voK ii. p. 537-"539» f See p. 258. ( -74- ) tlie learned Jofeph Scaliger^ and that his re- ientment againft the age in which he hved, made him talk in a manner beneath himfelf, when he advifed all parents to keep their children from literature, and to turn them entirely to occupations more lucrative, and more refpecTted by the world, he adds, ** As for the writer of the Life of Erafmus, if he may be permitted here to fpeak of himfelf, and to throw away a few lines upon fuch a fubjeft, be hath no caufe to widi that he had followed other occupations. Not to his erudition, (for many things have con- curred to hinder him from making any con- fiderable progrefs in it,) but to his conflant love and purfuit of it, he owes his late pa- tron ; [archbifhop Herring] he owes feveral worthy friends ftill living, one in particu- lar ; and a fituation and flation, better than he expeded, and as good as he ought to de- fire."* In his letter on the mufic of the ancients. Dr. Jortin obferves that ** many things we mud expert to meet v/ith, which it would be hard ••^ See ^« Life of Erafmus,*' vol. i. p. 607, i ^75 ) hard to bear, if a compenfation were not to be found iri honeft endeavours to do well ; lit virtuous affediions, and connections, and in harmlefs and reafonable amufements. And why fhoiild not a marl amiife himfelf fome- times ? Five la Bagatelle /'* And hereupon he goes on to fay, *^ I mention this, prin- cipally with a view to the q2S.^ oi others -^ (Homo Jum : hiunani ijihil a 7ne aliemtm piito : ) having found more friends, and received more favors and courtefies, than, as the world goes, fall to the fhare of one perfbn."* Thefe declarations are tolerably fpecific, and I do not fay that very great flrefs is to be laid on the contrary teftimdny of cur author againft himfelfj which may finally be re- folved into mere fufpicions and conjedures. Such however as it is, it fhall be pointed out to the reader's notice. When he fpeaks of Erafmus's talent for humour and ridicule ^* giving offence, efpe- cially to thofe, who expefted that their weak- tielTes or vices fliould be fpared on account T 2 of * See his " Letter on the rriufic of the ancients,'* p. 25, repubhflied in " Tra(5ts philological' &:c. vol, ii» p- 17* ( 276 ) cf their flation and charadler j" he obferves, *' elfe the king, the courtiers, and the bifhops, who otten beflowed preferments up- on drones, void of all capacity and merit, and fometimes loaded them with pluralities, might eafily have given him fomething in the church, without cure of fouls, which would have afforded him leifure to ftudy, and means to live/'* Had not Dr. Jortin felt fomething of the fame kind himfelf, he probably would not have cited fo forcibly, what Erafmus wrote to lord Mountjoy, ** As I remember, your lordfhip ufed to fay, Fortune offers a maji breads when he hath no teeth to cheto it'' And he immediately adds, ^' Better late than never." He then gees on to fay, from anonymous authority ; ''^ Hath literature been thy choice and thy occupation ? (faith a certain author,) and haft thou food and raiment ? Be con- tented : be thankful : be amazed at thy good fortune. Art thou diilatislied, and defirous of other things ? Go, and make twelve votes at an cledlion. It ihall do thee morefervice than * See " Life of ErafmuSj" vol. i. p. 52. than to make a commentary on the twelve minor prophets.* Neither Jortin, however, nor Eralmus are to be confidered among the infehces lite^ ratiy-^ although they were generally confi- dered as learned men negleded by thofe, who had the ability to ferve them, and who would have derived much honor to themfelves by fo doing. Hints concerning the expectations of lite- rary perfons are fcattered in various parts of his writings. In one place, he obferves, that, '* every man of letters muft not in- dulge the vain hope, though he fliould be as learned, as ingenious, and as indullrious as Erafmus, to be as much favoured and encou- raged as he was. But this is not a fufficient caufe to deter any perfon from a ftudious life. Learning is in many refpedts its own reward; learning applied to^ufeful purpofes, and adorned with good manners. Without thefe, though it may be of fome fervice to T 3 the * See " Life of ErafmuSj" vol. i. p. 482 and 483. t lb. p. 601. ( 278 ) the public, it wUl be of Imall comfort to the pofTeffor. ^ . ** After perfonal merit, (fays Bruyere) it muft be confefled that high ftations and pompous titles are the principal and the moft fplendid marks of diftinftion : and he who cannot be an Erafmiis^ muft think of being Dr. Jortin alfo reprefents Erafmus, as often declaring ** that he could not endure the fatigue of revifing, polifliing, and correQing his own works ; efpecially, fmce for all his pains he had no profpp^^ of obtaining any thing befides fcholars wages ; weak eyes, ill health, fhort commons, and a little reputa- tion, mixed with much envy and detrac- tion. "-f- In addition to what has been already ftated, refpeding the charafter of Dr. Jortin^ in the prefent chapter, and may be found incidentally • See " Life of Erafmus," vol. i. p. 606. t See " Life of Erafmus," p. 67. And if the reader will turn to p. 537. he will find men of rank and fortune (hewing a love of literature, reprefented as a Milefian fable and a fairy tale. ( 279 ) incidentally mentioned in other parts of the prefent volume, I muft be indulged witli re- citing, as I am perfuaded my reader will be gratified by the perufal, the charadler of our author as drawn by the energetic pen of Dr. Parr. ** Jortin," fays he, *' whether I look back to his vcrie, to his profe, to his critical, or to his theological works, there are few authors to whom 1 am fo much indebted fox rational entertainment, or for folid inflrudlion. Lear-ned he was, without pedantry. He was ingenious with- out the affedation of fingularity. He was a lover of truth, without hovering over the gloomy abyfs of fcepticifm, and a friend to free-enquiry, without roving into the dreary and pathlefs wilds of latitudinarianifm. He had a heart, whi-ch never difgraced the powers of his underflanding. With a lively imagination, an elegant tafte, and a judg- ment moft mafcuiine and mofl corredl, he united the artlefs and amiable negligence of a fchool boy. Wit without ill-nature, and fenfe without effort, hecoald, at will, fcat- ter upon every fubjccl ; and in every book, T 4 the_ ( a8p ; the writer prefents us with a near and diilin:ed by a friend, ^' Why he did not publifh his fer- mons ?" — ^^ They fhall fleep," faid he, ** 'till I fleep.'^'f' This was an implied per- miflion of their future publication, and I am well alTured that he had feledled many for the purpofe, and flamped them with his imprimatur. The reafon of his fuppreff- ing them during his life time, can now only be conjedured. Dr. Knox, however, aflTures us, that " they were defigned by the author as a legacy to mankind." Add- ing at the fame time, that *^ to enlarge on their * See Knox's " E%s," vol. ii. EIT. cxv. t See Nichols's " Anecdotes of Bowyer,'* p. 582. f 288 ) their value would only be to echo back the public voice.' * It has elfcwhete been obferved, as a mat-* ter of furprlfe, that a learned diiTcrtator oil the compofition and comparative excellence of fome of our englifh fermons, has noticed and highly commended the fermons of arch- biiliop Seeker, bifhop Hurd and Dr. Powell^ but not even mentioned thofe of Dr. Jortin.^f' Equally extraordinary, it appears to me, after reading the very honourable charafler given of them by the ingenious EiTayift, who has been frequently referred to, not to find one fermon of Jortin's in that col^ leftion which is generally reported to have been made under his diredion and care. J An * See the fifi edition, of " EfTays'' kc. vol. i. EfT. XVIII. but omitted in tiie later editions of his " Remarks on the life and writings of Dr. Jortin." t Mr. Mainwaring. See his *' Sermons oil feveral oc- caticns prep.clied before the univerfity of Cambridge. 1'q .which is prefixed, a Diiiertation on that fpecies of compo- fition./' ovo. 1780. X " Faniily leiftures ; or domeflic divinity, being a co- pious colljction of Sermons, feleded from the poHte writers ' ( 289 ) An omiflion, in both cafes, which can only be furpaffed, by that of Mr. Baker, in his ** Refledtions upon learning," who has a chapter on metaphyfics, in which he hath made no mention of Locke ; juft as if a man fhould write the lives of the greek and latin poets, (fays Dr. Jortin,) and only omit Homer and Virgil ; Tantum religio potult !* An writers and found divines o( the prefent century ; for the wfe of fchools, and for general inftrudlion," publiflied by Dilly, 1791. large o5lavo. The authors, whofe fermons are admitted into this colleclion, are, bifhop Atterburv, Mr, Thomas Newlin, bifhop Sherlock, bifliop Butler, Mr. Jeremiah Seed, Mr. Balguy, Dr. George Fotherp-ill^ archdeacon Tottie., Dr. Richard Newton, Dr. Thomas Afliton, Dr. Matthew Horbery, Dr. Daniel Waterland, Mr. Edward Stone, Dr. John Langhorne, Dr. Alexander Gerard, and Dr. Henry Stubbing. * See " Life of Erafmus," vol. i. p. 550. It has lately been obferved, that, " Ariftotle was certainly a great politician ; and Claudius Ptolemy was a great geo- grapher ; but the latter has fald not a word of America, the largeft quarter of the globe ; nor the former, of reprefen- tative republics, the refource of afflicted humanity." Bar- low's " Advice to the privileged orders, in the fcvcral ftates of Europe. '^ 8vo. 1792. p. 38. u ( 290 ) An anonymous writer in one of our perio-* dical publications,^ has Infifted that feven of the fermons in the three laft volumes are tranilations from the French of L'Enfant and Oflervaldj and charges the overfight upon the editor. How far the editor of thefe volumes, or the agents whom he em- ployed, deferve cenfure for their careleffnefs, I will * See Gentleman's Magazine for November 1784. (vol. liv. p. 826.) where the following fermons are faid to be tranflations from the refpe6tive originals referred to. Vol. V. Ser. xi. Matt. xi. 30. In great meafure from the third of L'Enfant. xiv. Matt. XV. 22. Literally tranHated from the fourteenth and fifteenth of L'Enfant. xix. Prov. %x, 12. A clofe tranflation from the fourth of the fame writer. Vol, vi. Ser. xiii. I Cor. xv. 9. A literal tranflation of the ninth of Oftcrvald. xiv. Gen. xix. 14. The fame of the firft of Oitervald. xix. A(5ls iii. 26. The fame of the fourth. Vol. vii. ix. 2 Pet. i. 5, 6, 7. The fame of the firlt of L'Enfant. And, in a preceeding number of the fame publication for February 1784. p. 86. another writer takes notice of are- petition in the fecond and eighteenth fermons in the fecond volume ; and of a miftake in the arrangement of the matter in the fourteenth and fifteenth fermons. ( 291 ) i will not take upon myfelf to fay ; but it inay be the more excufable, fince we have ken the editors of the fermons of the late Mr. Maty, with the eminently difcern- ing bilhop Horfley at their head, pro- nounce upon thofe fermons as *' not being free from the imperfedl:ions, which are inci- dent to the compofitions of very young men,'* notwithftanding three of them are literally tranfcribed from the fermons of archbifhop Seeker.* — Seeker's fermons, therefore, muft be no better than the compofitions of very young men, or bl/hop Horfley 's judgment, not the judgment of a very wife man. It has already been very juftly obferved of thefe fermons, that " they not only abound with good fenfe, are highly in- genious and praftical, but difcover great knowledge of the facred writings, and a confiderable acquaintance with other kinds of learning connected with them. It cannot U 2 be * For Maty'sxivth. fermon, fee Seeker, vol. ili. ferm. I. XV. . " ■ ' ii. 16, xvl. ■■ ■ iii. ' 1 1 • See tlic "Analyt, Review," for January 1789. vol. iii. p. 32, ( 292 ) "be fald, indeed, that they are greatly con- formable to the eftablifhed articles of the church of England, as to fome particular matters of opinion; but they are candid, li- beral, and charitable ; m,anifefl:ing a difpofi- tion which does not wifh to confine, or to domineer over, any man's judgment or con- fcience; but rather to ferve the eaufe of •truth and righteoufnefs, without regard to eftablifliments, fyflems, or fedlaries."* To the three latter volumes which were given to the public in 1772, are added a tract entitled '^ The dovftrine of a future ftate, as it may be collected from the old Tefta- ment," and *^ four charges to the clergy of the archdeaconry of London." In the firft of thefe pieces. Dr. Jortin endeavours, with fuccefs an- fwerable to his confiderable fhare of learnings, and critical acumen, to convince his reader that, '* the doftrine of a future ftate of re- tribution feems not to be promulgated in the old Teftament, nor made a fandtion of the mofaic law, nor taught dired:ly and fully ; but * See the review of the firft four volumes, in tha " Monthly review," vcl. xliv. p. 363. ( 293 ) but that it is implied and fappofed through- out, and may be proved by inferences juftl^ drawn and ftricftly conclufive. And hence,'* fays he, ** it came to pafs, that the jews were divided into the fedls of the pharifees and fadduces. The former admitted a doc- trine of a future ftate, as deducible from many paflages in the facred books ; the fad- duces rejected it, becaufe they could not find any texts that abfolutely required a belief of it/' It may be added, that this tradt contains more argument upon the queftion than pro- bably w^ill be found in any other volume of the fame fize. The four charges v/hich follow, are every way worthy of their .author. The firll: con- £ders *^ chriflianity as the prefer ver and fup- porter of literature;*' and the remaining three, treat of'* the ufe and importance of ecclefiaf- tical hiftory/* That Dr. Jortin v/as eminently qualified to inquire into and to underftand thefe queftions, and that he has fucceeded in the undertaking, will be denied him by none, who are themfelves acquainted with U 3 the f 294 ) the fabje(fi:, with the fcriptures, or with human nature. Probably it would not be deemed an ac-^ ceptable offering to ferve up the beauties of Jordn, whofe fermons are already in fo many hands 5 but the tafk, humble as it mieht be confidered, would neither be diffi- cult, nor unpleafing. My own obfervation would readily furnifh me with fuch a felec- tion ; but the originals, may be read with far more confiderable advantage, and with greater delight. Several paiTages in the fcriptures are inci" dentally explained, and an enumeration of them is ftated in the margin.* This is an opportunity ■* Deut. viii. 4.— Jortin's fermons. vol. v^ p. 218. Prov. XXX. 7.-r-— ib, - - iv, p. i — 6. Matt. V. 22. — ib. - • ii. p. 209. XV. 22. — 38. ib. - - V. p. 285 — 304. xxiii. 15. ib* - - v. p. 312. xxiv. 20. ib. - « V. p. 8^. xxvi, 50.- ib. - - iv. p. 49. Mark x. 13. ib, - - ii. p. 144. — 146, xi. 13.— ib. - - ii. p. 305. note. zi and 22, ib» - ii. p. 287.— 289a Luke ( 295 ) (Opportunity, which I am unwilling to lofe, of obfervlng how very ufeful a comprehenfive reference to the works, both theological and mifcellaneous, of learned and ingenious per- fons, would be, where paffages of fcripture are rationally explained. It would be fupe- rior to any commentary. Such explanations are now fcattered over a very wide field, and many invaluable criticifms, corrected tranf- lations, and illuftrations are loft in the great chaos of materials in which they are involved. One fermon of Dr. Jortin's, upon Mat- thew xxii. 32. God is not the God oj the deady hut of the living i'"^ in which he vindicated U 4 the Luke xxiil. 31. Jortlns's Sermons, vii. p. 44. and 45. John xi. 25. ib. - - vi.p. 201. — 206. xxi. 15. ib. - - i. p. 382. — 384. A6ls X. II. — 14. ib. - - iii. p. 353. — 357. Rom. xii. 20. -ib. - - ii. p. 77.— -82. J. Cor. xiii. 12. ib. • - iii. p. 277. note. * See vol. ii. fermon 19. — The propofitlons in the fer- mon are the following, i. " That the foul of man fubfifls after death ; and hath fome place of abode allotted to it till the refurre£lion." 11. " That this intermediate ftate is, in all probability^ not a ftate of infenfibility to the fouls of the righteous ; ( 296 ) the doctrine of a confcious intermediate ftate, upon the principle of the natural immortality of the foul, produced a critical invefligation of his aro-ument, from archdeacon Black- burne. The difcernment of this eminent and very able writer, in eftimating different charaders is very obvious in the opening of his review of our author's arguments. In the preceeding chapter of the work to vvhich I refer^ he had clofed his difquilition on the labours righteous; but of thought and felf confcioufnefs, andconfe- qutntly of content and of happinefs, in a certain degree." Our author is fuppofed to have failed in the proof of them, but his candid temper is very greatly to be admired. And, throughout the fermon, he appears to argue more like one defirous of being; convinced, than one who is thoroughly fatisfied. He fpeaks only of " the probability lying on his fide of the queftion," and of ^^ the fcriptures not having faid fo much as one could Vv?iili," Add to thefe the propofal of a compromife at the end of the note, p. 386. In vol. iv. (fernion 7.) there is a very excellent fermon on 2 Tim. i. 10.- — Who hath hx ought life and immortality to light through the gojpel\ in which he {liys the fouls of the good are not deprived of thought, but arc in a place of peace and contentment, during their feparation from the body ; concerning which, however, he applies the words of the apoillc Paulj noivivefee darlJj^^ now v^q knovj in pari. ( 297 ) labours of archbifliop Seeker upon thisfubjeft, and then goes on to thofe of Dr. Jortin's. ** We are now to exhibit a writer/' fays he,* ^^ of far fuperior abilities, ^ne who was completely qualified to do juftice to any fub- jed: he undertook to handle, and to whofe remains a kind of veneration is due,, even though they are only t]\t fcrinioriun qtiisqiiiiice, which zealous friends to deceafed geniufes fometimes expofe to public view, with lefs judgment than affedion." And, in the clofe of the fame chapter, he adds, *^ when his candid concefTion, that the righteous lofe no- thing, and the wicked gain nothing, by their intermediate fleep, is confidered, there may be room to doubt, whether the patrons of a con- fcious intermediate ftate wdll be much edined by the dodor's operations on the queuion, and v/hether they v/ill net rather chufe to abide by their ftrong hold of a natui-al im- mortality * See " An hlftorlcal view of the controverfy concern- ing an intermediate fcate and feparatc exiftence of the foul between death and the general refurrecllon," Second edi- tion, 8vo, 1772. ch. xxviii. p, 268- -296. ( 29? ) jnortality on philofophical principles, than accept of his aid on the terms he offers it. " Be that as it may, let the hijlorian praife his candor in expreffing his difHdence in a manner which ihews, that he did not defire Jiis interpretations of the texts he builds up- on, fhould pafs for infallibilities. Would to God I had the talents to perpetuate the reft of his expellencies to the lateft pofterity. But he refts from his labours, and heareth not the voice of the oppreffor, nor of the petulant fcorner. His works will fufficiently fpeak for him, while there are any remnants of piety, learning, and good fenfe, among the fons of Britain, and will follow him to thofe manlion^, where neither envy, male- volence, nor the dogmatical arrogance of ignorant fupercllious criticifm, will deprive him of his rewardo Dum juga montis aper, iluylos dum pirds amabit, Dumque thymo pafcentur apes, dum rore cicadae, Semper honos nomenque tuum, laudefque inanebunt." We are now to refume the fubjeil of ecclc- fiairical hiftory, and fpeak of the continua- tion of his *^ Remarks," in a fourth and fifth ( ^99 ) fifth volume, which were publifhed in 1773.^ Thefe volumes commence with the year 337^^ and conclude with 1517, that memorable aera, when, as he expreffes himfelf, *' Luther began the heroic work of reformation. ''-f* The materials of which thefe volumes are compofed are chiefly coUeded from the works of Fleury, Du Pin, Tillemont, Moflieim, Le Clerc, Bafnage, &c. and the matter of them is difpofed in annals. The effayiH:, who, having profelledly written remarks on the life and writings of Dr. Jortin, has been repeatedly cited, ob- ferves generally of our author's remarks on ecclefiaftical hiftory, that they *^ are full of manly fenfe, ingenious ftridlures, and pro- found erudition. The work," fays he, ** is highly beneficial to mankind, as it reprefents, in its proper light, that fuperftition which difgraced * The five volumes are now reprinted In four ; the firfl three being reduced by change of page and type to two, in ^he fecond edition pubUfhed 1767. In all references to them In the courfe of this work, tjie firfl difpofition of them has been confulted, t Sep vol. V. lafl page. ( 3^o ) difgraced human nature, and gives a right fcnfo of the advantages derived from religious reformation. He every where expreffes him- felf with peculiar vehemence againft the in- fatuation of bigotry and fanaticifm. Con- vinced that true happinefs is founded on a right ufe of the reafoning powers, he makes it the fcope of all his religious works, to lead mankind from the errors of imagination, to the didates of difpaffionate reafon/' We have alfo the very ftrong and pointed teftimony of bifliop Watfon, in commenda- tion of the work before us. *^ Dr. Jor- tin has,'* fays he, ** in a little compafs, taken notice of £o many fafts, and animad- verted on them with fo much judgment, that this work will be ever held in deferved re- pute ; he has inferted, alfo, into it, the fub- ftance cf his difcourfes on the nature, ufe, and intent of prophecy; and on miracles, which were preached at Boylt.'i> lefture."^" We * See Appendix, in vol. vl. of the blfhop's " CoUetPcioa «f tracls" p. 32. His general refledion on the ufe of ©cclefiaftical hiilory is delerving of recital, " A thoufand inftances ( 3°! ) < We now come to the mention of the two volumes of " Tradts, philological, critical and mifcellaneous, conlifting of pieces, many before publiihed feparately, feveral annexed to the works of learned friends, and others now firft printed from the author's manu- fcripts/' Thefe volumes were publiiflied fo lately as 1790; and we have already men- tioned fuch parts of their contents as had been publiflied feparately or annexed to the works of learned friends : it only remains to take due notice of thofe pieces which were now firft printed from the author's manu- fcripts. In the former volume, there are, of this de- fcription,fome ^^Scripturalilluftrations^ ftric- tures on the articles, fubfcriptions, ttits^ Szc; curfory obfervations; anecdotes,; and tranila- tions from the ** Lufus poetici :" in the fecond volume inftances of blind attachment to fyftem might be taken from the ecclefiaftical hiftory of every century ; indeed the v/hole of it is little more, than the hiftory of the flruggies of different fects to overturn the fyftems of others In order to build up their own, and the great leflbn which every (cck^ and every individual of every fe^^, ought to learn from its perufal is — modbration." See preface to " Collection »f trafls," p. xlv. ( So^ ) Vblumc are fome *^ Critical remarks on rnd- dern authors j and maxims and reflections/* The '' Scriptural illuftrations,"* are of unequal importance, but all of them inge- nious* They rtievv the great advantage which the claflic fcholar poffeiTes in the means of explaining and illuftrating the fcriptures, and of gratifying his tafte for literature. It is obferved by the author himfelf, that, ** as religion hath been the chief pre- ferver of erudition, fo erudition hath not been ungrateful to her paironefs, but hath contribatt:d largely to the fupport of rdigion. The ufeful expofitions of the fcriptures, the fober and fenfible defences of revelation, the faithful reprefentation of p'ure and undcfiled chriflianity ; thefe have been the works of learned, judicious, and induftrious men. The corruptions of the gofpel, the perverfe interpretations and abfurd fenfes put upon the word of God, both in matters of faith and of practice ; thefe have been the inven- tions of men, who had a fmall fiiare of learning, * See '^ Trads philologicar* 5cc. vol. i. ff. 376— 416. ( 303 ) learning, and a large fhare of knavery, or of fanaticifm, or of both blended together. ** Fanatics are no friends to reafon and learning, and not without fome kind of plea , firfi:, becaufe they have ufually a fiender f rovifion of either : fecondly, becaufe a mari hath no occftfion to fpend his time and his pains in the ftudious way, who hath an in- ward ilkimination to guide him to truth, and to make fuch labour unnecefTary. ** But, they who fay that human learn- ing is of no ufe in religion, are no more to be difputed with, than the honeil man ia Horace, Qui fe credebat miros audire tragsedos. In vacuo laetus feffor plauforque theatro, '^ He who ftrives and expeds to convince and alter fuch perfons, either undervalues his time and pains, or overvalues his abilities. ** Sola fcripturarum ars eft," fays Jerome, * quam fibi omnes paflim vendicant : hanc garrula anus, hanc delirus fenex, hanc fo- phifta verbofus, hanc univerfi prefumunt, lacerant, docent, antequam difcant/ What >vould he fay, JSi ( 3H ) Si foret hoc noflrum fato dilatiis in sevum ?* The paffages in the old and new Teflament tvhich Dr« jortin hath attempted to illuftrate in the pages now before us are mentioned in the margin. -f- The * See Dr. Jortin's firft charge to the clergy of the arch* deaconry of London fubjoined to his Sermons, vol. vii- p. 353— 377> t Judges xi. 39. Mark Iv. 39. I Sam. xxvi. 7. ix. 49. 2 Sam. xxi. 20» xii. 43. Prov. iv. 17. xiv. 37, &€• vi. 6. Luke "• 33- ix. 17. xi. 3. xxviii, 20. xiii. 29. Solomon's fong. ii. 7. xiv. 13. 15 and 23^ Ifaiah XXX. 33. ; xxiii. 15. Daniel, (a general remark) xxiv. II and 18. Matthe-w ii. 16 and 20. John i. 1.3 and i6« vi. 9. 15 and 28. V. 4. vi. 5. xvi. 13. viii. 20. XX. 28. ix. 38. Aas xii. 19. xi. 25 and SO- xix. 35. xiii. 13. XX. 13, xvii. 21. Rom. xiii. 3. xxii. 37. I Cor, V. 5. xxiii. 2. vi, IT. I Cm\ ( 3^5 ) The ^^ Stiidiires on the articles, fubfcrip- tlons, tefls, &c.''* appear to have been the effort of a mind not entirely at eafe. Four different degrees of affent in which they are fubfcribed are ftated ; and feveral reafons are given in favor of fubfcribing.in the laxefl fenfe. Thefe reafons ftand in dircvfl op- pofition to the declared intention of the fub- fcription now required by law, which was to prevent diverfity of opinion. And inilcad of being arguments for a latitude of fub- fcription, are fo many reafons for the aboli- tion of fiich ftipulations from candidates for the miniftry, not only as being a dire-it violation of the rights of chriftians and pro- teftants, but wholly Infufficient for effeding* the avowed defign of preicrving an uniformity of opinion; productive of much prevarication and hypocrify; and tending to (lifle, counteract, and 1 Cor, xli. 21 and 26. 2 Tim. iv. 16. XV. 32. ileb. XI. 37, Gal. V. 12, 2 Peter. i i6 I Tim, i. 6. iii. 16, I John V. 7. ■Q. * See " Traifts philological £cc." vol, i. p. 417 — -42,7, X ( 3o6 ) and fupprefs the truth as we find It in the go{pe,\ of Jefus. *' If v/e will not allov/ of thefe reafons,"^" fays our author, '* we muft fuppofe that in an * In favor of fubfcnbing in alaxer fenfc, the following^. reafons are alledged. 1. "Our church admits perfons to baptlfm, upon ari ailent to the ai^oftle's creed ; and ufeth only that creed in the catechlfm, and in the vifitation of the fick. 2. " She , declares that the fcripture' is the only rule of faith. 3. " She owns herfelf to be fallible. 4. " Some illuftrious divines of our communion have- made declarations, which neceflarily imply adillike of certain things contained in the liturgy, or articles ; and yet never were cenfurcd for it, by public authority : as ChlUingworthj Hales, i'aylor, Hammond, Tillotfon, Stillingfteet, — cum multls all is, 5. " There are propofitions contained in our liturgy and articles, which no man of common (entQ amongft us be- lieves. — No one believes that all the members of the Greek church are damned, becaufe they admit not the proceffion of the holy ghoft from the fon : yet the athanafian creed, according to the ufual and obvious fenfe of the words, teach- eth this. No one believes himfelf obliged to keep the fab- bath day : yet the liturgy, ftric^ly Interpreted, requires it. 6. ^' It is evident, beyond a doubt, tiiat the whole body of the clergy, and of the learned laity, depart, fome more, fome ( 30? ) an age,' — and an age perhaps not the moft learned, — an affembly of fallible men may determine concerning all points of faith and pradlice for themfelves, and for their heirs ; and entail bondage and darknefs, worfe than ^Egyptian, upon their po fieri ty for ever and ever/' But the queflion is not concerning their power (i. e. their legal power,) but their right; — not v/hat they may do, but what they have done ; and the continuation of fuch fubfcription is a proof of what fallible men, whether impofers or fubfcribers, dare do. There cannot be more decliive reafons for the removal of all fubfcription, than the apo- logies of Jortin and Paley^ for the prefent prefcribed formularies. X a Should, fome lefsj from the religious opinions of their aneeflors in the days when the articles wereeftablifhed by law, and frorn the rigid and literal fenfe of them. This unlverfal confent of a nation, to deviate thus in ibme points from the old doc- trines, amounts to an abrogation of fuch rigid interpreta- tions of the articles, and to a permiffion of a latitude in fubfcribing/* * See Paley's "Moral and politleal pln'lofophy." B.iii, part i» ch. xxii. ( 3o8 ), Should, however, thefe reafons for the latitude here contended for, be thought not fufficicntly to ihew the futility of the apology, and the neceffi ty of the utter extirpation of all requifition to fign articles of religion, it cannot be improper to recite an obfervation of Dr. Jortin's which is placed at the foot of the preceeding difcuffion. *' Subfcriptions and tefts are fuppofed, fiys he, to be admirable methods to keep out the heterodox. But what faid the phiiofo- pher to the jealous hufoand ? * Thou may eft bar thy windows, and lock thy do6rs ; but a cat and a wlioremafter will find the way in/ AiTianti aut indigenti difiicile cO: nihil. And the fpecihc tefiimony he bears to one propofition contained in the articles, is more than a refiedlon upon all the reft/^ ** I do not * Bacon fays, " If St. John were to write an epiftle to the church of England, as he did to that of Afia, it would furely contain tne claufe, / hiiv^ ^ fi'^ things againfl thee, I am not quite of his opinion : (fays Jortin) I am afraid th^ c|aufe would be, " I have.^zji? 4 few things againft thee." See maxims and reflectionSj in " Trads," vol. ii, p.. 530^' ( 309 ) not remember/' fays he, '* to have fee nit difcuffed by any writer upon that fubje6l; which, I believe, few of the fubfcribers ever examined; but which, I thinkj, every one might fafely receive with implicit faith. It is this : •' The churches of Hierufalem, Alexan- dria, and Antioch, have erred/' Art. xix. Dr. Jortin was always gentle in his judg- ment on herefy and heretics : and, I cannot, but think, that when he was on thefe fub- jefts he thought himfelf a party concerned. *^ What St. Paul and other apoflles pro- nounce againft the he?^etics- of their time, fays he, is not to be applied to all thofe, who in thefe later ages err in matters of faith. They neither defpife the apoftles, nor reject the gofpel : nor do they ufually feem to be feduced from the right way by views of honour or of profit. Many of them might fay to the church, as ^neas to Dido^ Invitus, reginay tuo de llttore ceffi."* ,Thc * Contrail the ftate of religion in Europe with that in America^ " In the united Hates of America, thcio is, llriaiy ( 3IO ) The ** Curfory obfervations"* contain fe- veral notes, neither unentertaining, nor un- fruitful to a refledling mind. One remark refpefting the firft proteftant fchools and uni- verfities in Germany, was in great degree confirmed in the perfon of Erafmus. ^' Moft of the ftudents,'' fays Jortin, ** were very poor, they fupported themfelves by begging and finging pfalms from door to door : they ftudied by moon-light, for want of candles; they were almoft flarved for want of fire ; and often went to bed with an empty fto- mach : yet the earneft defire of erudition conquered all thefe difficulties, and they be- came private tutors, fchool-mafters, preachers and llridly fpeaking, no fuch thing as a church ; and yet in no country are the people more religious. Ail forts of reli- gious opinions are entertained there, and yet no herejy among them all 5 all modes of worfhip are pradlifed, and yet there is no fcbi/m ; n-en frequently change their creed and their worniip, and yet there is no apoftacy \ they have miniflers of religion, but no prlejls. In fhort, religion is there a perfonal and not a corporate concern." See Barlow's " Advice £0 privileged orders.'' 1792. part i. p. 50. |iOte. * See " Tracts philological, kz,'' vol i. p. 428— 44^. ( 311 ) and profellbrs. ** Our young folks/' adds he, *' have not the tenth part of thefe hard- fhips to endure, nor a tenth part of their in* duflry and learning." Admitting the truth of this remark, which will not be much difputed, we may de- fcry the caufe of it in a fubfequent obfer- vation made by our author. ** We have had,*' fays he, *^ fome powerful druids and high priejlsy who would have liked a decree of the Ephefian kind (the banifliment of perfons of fuperior merit,) concerning the clergy : If any ecclejiajiic amongji us furpafs others in learning ajid abilities^ let him by all means be deprejfed ; and never permitted to rife aba'ue the Jiation of a curate'''^ The * *' In the ecclefiaflical edifice, the ftone^, which fup- port the whole, arc placed lowed ; the gilded weathercock Ihines at the top, and fhifts about with the v/iiid.'* See Maxims and refleilions In " Trails," vol. ii. p 5^^. ^' There muft be fome laymen In a fynod, fays Selden, to overlook the clergy, left they fpoll the civil v/ork : juft as when the good woman puts a cat into the dairy to kill a mou(e, (he fends her maid to look after the cat, left the cat fliouldeat the cream," ib. p. 536. ( 3^2 ) ^he fmall colledlion of " Anecdotes"'^ was communicated to the editor of thefe volumes, by a friend, with an obfervation, by way of introduction, that ** from the complexion of thofe anecdotes which a man colleds from others, or which he forms by his own pen, may, without much diffi- culty, be conjeftured, what 7nanner of ma?2 he was." Some of thefe have confiderable point, they are neverthelefs confidered by the gentleman who communicated them, ** as no more, at the beft, than the earthen feet of Daniel's colofTal ftatue." Among the reft we read, that fomebody faid to the learned Bignon, *' Rome is the feat of faith." — ^^ It is true," replied he ; " but this faith is like thofe people, who are never to be found at home." — A fome- what fimilar fentiment was exprefled by the wife of a farmer in a northern county, who held his farm on leafe from one of the hof- pitals in London, upon her being afKed by a truly refpedable lady. Who was her huf- band's landlord ? *' Madam," faid ilie, *^our farm b'clongs to charity a long way off." The * See « Tracls philological &c." vol. i. p. 44.5—- 459. ( 3^3 ) The few remaining pages of , the firii Volume of the ** Tradls," contain ** Tran- flations from the Lufus Poetici;"^ feme of which have been noticed before. -j- The de- fign in pubhfliing this addition to thefmaller pieces of Dr. Jortin, is exprelTed by one of the tranflators, and he may be confidered as fpeaking for the reft;" . *' He wiftied to give the Englifli reader fome idea of Jortln's elegance of fancy, and to excite the fcholar to perufe fome of the moft claffical latin verfes which modern times have produced.'* The new matter in the fecond vohime of ^* Trads" is comprifed in the two laft arti- cles, *' Critical remarks on modern authors > and maxims and reflections,'' John Beaumont, Cafaubon, Bp. Chandler, Pope and Swift, Thirlby, and Voltaire, are the fubjeds of fliort remarks. What is faid on Borleau is extracted from Jortin's '^ Mif- ccllaneous -= See " Trails philological, &c." vol.i. p. 460- -473. t p. 10 and 14. In the Gentleman's n.agazine for March 1792. p. 263, is a tranflation of Dr, Jortin's ele- gant epitaph on a cat. ( 3H ) cellaneous obfcrvations," and of archbllhop ricrrln.fr, fi'om his *' Life of Erafmus.*' - The ^*' maxims and refle>flions" which clofe the vokime before us,* contain much truth and much good fenfe. The apphca- tion of thefc, and of the various remarks and obfervations, which are fcattered with a rich variety through all the writings of our author, mud; remain with the reader, who is difpofed to benefit by the lefTons which Jortin hath delivered to pofterity. * " Traces philological, &:c." vol. ii. p. 529—539. T H E END. Sold by J. Johnfon, St. Paul's Church-Yard* PUBLISHED BY THE REV. DR. DISNEY^ I. Memoirs of the Life and writings of Arthur Ashley Sykes, D.D. 8vo. 1785. with an appendix, 5s. II. The Works theological, medical, political, and mifcellaneous of John Jebb, IVLD.F.R.S. with memoirs of the life of the audior. 3. vols. 8vo. 1787. il. IS. . HI. Discourses on various subjects. To which are added, Confiderations on pluralities. By Samuel Disney, LL.B. late vicar of Hal- flead, EfTex. with a preface. 8vo. 1788. 6s. IV. A Sermon preached in the parifli church of St. Mary Magdalen, in the bail of Lincoln, at the vifitation of th& archdeacon of Lincoln, on Wednefday, May 28, 1777. 4to. is. V. Reasons for refigning the re6i:oiy of Panton and vicarage of Swinderby in Lincolnfhire ; and quitting the church of England. The fecond edition. 8vo. 1783. 6d. VI. A Friendly dialogue between a common unitarian chriftian, and an athanafian: occa- fioned by the former's behaviour during fome part of the public fervice. Or, an attempt to reftore LIST OF BOOKS. rellore fcripture form$ of worlliip. To which is now added, a fecond dialogue, between Eugenius and Theophihis, on die fame fubjed. The fe- cond edition. 8vo. 1787. 6d. Tii. A Defence of public or social worship. A Sermon preached in the unitarian chapel in EfTex flreet, London , on funday^ Dec. 4, 1791. 8vo. 6d; Viii. Letters to the rev. Vicesimus Knox, D.D. occafioned by his refiedlions on unlt;irian chrif- tians in his ^' advertifement" prefixed to a volume of ' Sermons, lately publiihed* 8vo. 1792. i"^. In the prefs, and fpeedily will be pubhfhedi The book of common-prayer reformed^ for the uie of unitarian congregations. DATE DUE ■xsrasBHnBBa GAYLORD PRINTED IN U.S.A.