need any farther account in this place. The two other volumes confift of ninety Differtations on theological fubjects; nine Sermons preached on public occafions; and five Charges delivered to the clergy of the diocefe of Briftol. The Sermons have been already published, at least the greater part of them. The Dif fertations and Charges now for the first time fee the light. They are intituled Differtations,' fays the Editor, becaufe many of them were firft written as fuch, and were never preached, nor intended to be preached. Others were originally fermons, but have received additions and alterations; for things may be faid in a differtation, which cannot, with equal propriety, be delivered from the pulpit. Many of thofe Differtations are curious, many practical, and all ufeful. They bear deep traces of piety, and a love of facred fubjects; and contain inconteftible proofs of induftry and application.'

It will be utterly inconfiftent with the limits of our plan to give even a general account of the multifarious articles difcuffed in these volumes. We can barely enumerate their titles, and give an extract from a few of the Differtations that are most curious, or moft interefting.

DISSERT. On Mofes and his Writings-Hiftory of Creation and the Fall-Antediluvian World-Deluge, and the fubfequent History of Noah-Confufion of Languages, Difperfion of Mankind, and Origin of Nations-Abraham-Offering up Ifaac-State of Religion in Abraham's time-Subfequent Patriarchs-David and Nathan-Religious Melancholy-God's Omniprefence-Goodness of God-Religion our Pleafure-and Comfort-Government of our Thoughts-and of our Tongues -Men the Authors of their own Milery or Happiness-Chearful and Wounded Spirit-Flattery-Reproof-Agur's WithPublic Worship-Dreams-Abufe of Names and Words-Modefty and Shame-Learned Pride-Philofophy of the Scriptures -Expediency of the Chriftian Revelation-Written WordJohn the Baptift-Our Lord's Incarnation-Nativity-Time of it-Names of Jefus and Chrift-His Private Life-His Temptation-Falting, &c.-The Lord's Prayer-Daily Service of the Church-Chrift's Miracles-The Demon acs Blafphemy against the Holy Ghoft-Parable of the Tares-Herefies and Schifms-The two great Commandments-Parable of the Talents-Mark ix. 49. 50.-The Prodigal-LuxuryWoman of Samaria-Our Lord's Eloquence-Christianity, true Liberty-Chriftian Sacraments-Infidelity of the JewsSufferings of Chrift-His Refurre&ion-Afcenfion- Ufe of Reafon in Religion-Myfteries-Long Life of St. John-St. Paul's Eloquence-Before Felix-At Melita-ConfirmationLove of Novelty-Running in Debt-St. Paul's Description of Charity-Self-Knowledge-Anger-Beauty of Virtue - Con

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veitation

verfation-Appearance of Evil-Prevalence of Popery-AngelsInfidelity of the prefent Age-Recompence of Reward-Sin which eafily befets us-Romifh Clergy Lords over God's Heritage-Ceflation of Miracles-Difficulties of Scripture-Intermediate State-General Refurrection- Judgment-Final State and Condition of Men.

OCCASIONAL SERMONS. Forms of Prayer at St. Mary le Bow, in 1745-Pharifaifm and Popery paralleled at ditto, on account of the Rebellion in 1745-Before the House of Commons, on the General Faft, December 18, 1745-At the Confecration of Dr. Warburton, January 20, 1760 [Mark iii. 14.] -Before the King, on the Day of his Acceffion, 1761 [1 Pet. ii. 17.]-The Good Samaritan: at Briftol, for the Benefit of the Infirmary-On Moderation: before the Lords, January 30, 1764-The Gospel preached to the Poor-On the Impotent Reception of the Gofpel: before the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, February 17, 1769 [Joh. x. 16.]

EPISCOPAL CHARGES. On reading the Scriptures-Increase of Popery-Licentiousness of the Times-Late Attempts against the Church-Diffuafive from Schifm.

In the Differtation on the Confufion of Languages, &c. the Bishop combats, with equal learning and ingenuity, the hypothefes of thofe enthufiaftic admirers of the primitive and facred tongue' (as they call the Hebrew), who would deduce every other tongue from it. He thinks it too fanciful and arbitrary to be confided in; and juftly obferves, that a fimilarity in a few inftances, feduloufly collected from many thousands, carry no proof of the doctrine contended for.

Such operofe trifles (says he) cannot be better exposed than by a familiar example. A learned divine, who was also a very great fmoker, often used to divert himself with the etymology of his favourite tobacco, which he derived from the Hebrew 10в bonus, ACH focus or fumus, and o Ejus, i. e. good is the fire or fmoke thereof. And it was pleafant enough for what it was intended, a play of the ima-. gination. But is the word, therefore, proved to be of Hebrew extraction? Or would a hundred fuch inftances demonftrate the Indian languages to be foots of " Hebrew roots?"

If the Hebrew cannot make out its title to be the mother of all languages, it is certain the Chaldee and Arabic, or any other, can have no better pretence to lay claim to that prerogative. Some things may poffibly be found alike in all languages; but this likenefs, for the most part, is merely accidental; and the many things wherein they differ are of far more force to demonstrate their different pedigrees, than the few things wherein they refemble each other are to prove any relation or affinity between them: for confider the almot innumerable multitude of languages in the world, and the great difference in the words, whereby they exprefs the fame common things. New words and names must be invented for new things; but should new names, with fcarcely a radical letter, or a fingle

found

found the fame, be given to things which always have been, always are, and always will be, in continual ufe, and spoken upon every occafion? The old names, or at least fomething like them, would certainly have been retained, if men had all derived their language from one and the fame fource. But the total difference of the words for the very fame common things, evinces undeniably, that the different languages must have fprung from different fources. A fingle inftance will make my meaning plainer. Bread in English, is lechem in Hebrew, artos in Greek, panis in Latin, bara in Welth. Is there the leaft likeness between them that they should be thought to be defcended from the fame family? But the French pain, from the Latin panis, fufficiently difcovers its relation."

- Which or what was the primitive original language of mankind, it being impoffible to determine, it is frivolous to difpute. The experiment hath been tried, more than once, of training up children feparate from all fociety and converfation of men, in order to fee what language they would speak naturally, and of themselves; but the event hath been, that they have talked no language at all; they could not fo much as articulate, or utter any more distinct founds than deaf and dumb persons can do. And, indeed, it is reafonable to believe, that without the divine inftin&t at first, and human instruction and example fince, men would have continued mutum et turpe pecus, a mute and bafe herd, little fuperior to the beasts of the field; at beft, neceffity would have taught them the use of Speech very flowly, and by no means fo foon as they now usually attain it.'

In the Differtation on the Philofophy of Scripture, the worthy Prelate enumerates and answers the common objections which infidelity hath alleged to invalidate its credit. At the conclufion, by way of ftrengthening the caufe of religion, by illuftrious examples drawn from the fields of philofophy, he gives the following account of four of the most eminent that Britain hath to boast of, viz. Lord Bacon, Boyle, Locke, and Sir Ifaac Newton.

The firft was, perhaps, the most univerfal genius that ever appeared in this country, or in any other. He made the laws of his country his particular ftudy; and was promoted, by his fuperior merit in his profeffion, to the highest employment in the ftate: but his active, comprehenfive foul was not confined or limited there. He ranged through all arts and sciences, fhowed wherein they were defective, chalked out the method how they might be improved; and the advancement of learning that hath been made fince his days, hath been chiefly owing to a pursuance of his fchemes, by treading in his footsteps, and tracing and deducing the rivers, whereof he discovered the springs and fources. His writings (the principal of them being written in the learned language) have done infinite honour to the nation; and in all of them, even those of them which are not profef.. fedly written upon divine fubjects, there is yet a great spirit of piety

Herod. lib. 2. cap. 2. Purchas. b. 3. chap. 8. Walton Proleg. 1. fect. 3. Calmet. Diet. under the word Language.

and

and religion; and we plainly fee his reverence of the Scriptures, by his frequent allufions to them, and citations from them. His noted axiom was, "That a little philofophy inclineth man's mind to Atheism; but depth in philofophy bringeth men's minds about to religion;" and he placeth theology at the head of all learning, as the highest perfection and attainment of human nature.

The fecond was of a noble family, and applied himself chiefly to experimental philofophy and what was the confequence of his fearches into nature, but having a more profound reverence for the God of Nature? It is related of him, that he never mentioned the name of God, without a folemn pause in his discourse; fo far was he from treating it lightly or irreverently; fo full was his mind of pious love and veneration. Amidft his numerous philofophical writings, he found time alfo to write upon religious fubjects. He wrote a treatife particularly on the excellency of theology, compared with natural philofophy, and another of the file of the Scriptures, with admiration and rapture. He was at the expence of large impressions of the Bible, and tranflations into feveral languages, for the ufe of the poor, both at home and abroad. Having employed his whole life in doing good, he extended his benevolence and charities to mankind after his death, and founded an annual lecture, with a handsome salary, for the proof of natural and revealed religion, against Atheists, Deifts, and all other infidels whom foever.

The third was a moft excellent metaphyfician, and inquired particularly into the powers and limits of the human understanding; an author, happy in a wonderfully clear vein of thinking and reafoning: drew his materials not fo much from books as from his own thoughts and reflections, and knew how to drefs those thoughts in eafy and agreeable language; a friend to liberty, both civil and reli gious, but an advocate for revelation; wrote largely of the reasonableness of Chriftianity; made a moft excellent paraphrase and annotations on the principal of St. Paul's Epiftles, wherein he hath done more towards clearing and explaining their fenfe and meaning than any commentator, I had almost faid than all the commentators before him; and, doubtless, would have obliged us with more fuch writings if he had lived longer, having dedicated the remainder of his days wholly and folely to thefe ftudies.

The fourth was a prodigy indeed of mathematical knowledge! There was none like him before him; and it may be queftioned, whether after him there will any "arife like unto him." It is faid by Dr. Keil, that if all philofophy and mathematics were confidered as confilling of ten parts, nine of them are entirely of his discovery and invention. And his modesty, humility, and other virtues, were as great and confpicuous as his learning and knowledge. He fpoke always of the Supreme Being in a manner becoming a philofopher; attempted to fettle the chronology of ancient kingdoms conformable to Scripture; and wrote obfervations on fome of the most difficult parts of holy writ, the Prophecies of Daniel, and St. John's Revelation ; making thus the word of God the port and haven of all his labours, and doing as every wife man thould, beginning with philosophy, and ending in religion.'

The

The Bishop, in his Differtation on Dreams, adopts the hypothefis of the late Mr. Baxter, and attempts to make a practical ufe of it. He confiders them as proofs of the immateriality and immortality of the foul, and as indications of our natural temper and difpofition. He gives fome directions how to make them turn to a good account; and, at the fame time, guards the reader against the extremes of fuperftition and fcepticifm.

In the Differtation on our Saviour's Temptation, he opposes the fpeculations of thofe divines who would refine away its reality, by confidering it only as typical, allufive, and visionary; and contending for the fact, enters into a difcuffion of its reasons.If he had been fo fortunate as to have offered any new ones, we fhould have been happy to have presented them to the Reader. The old are well known, and have been well answered.

One of the most learned and laboured of the Differtations is that on the Demoniacs. The fubject is alfo ingeniously difcuffed, and with temper and moderation too. The Bishop thinks all the inftances of Demonical poffeffion recorded in the Gofpel, cannot be referred to any natural caufes, fuch as madnels or epilepfy, but "must be attributed to the operation of spiritual agents. In this Differtation he produces fome paffages from the works of the learned Jofeph Mede, to prove that he was not (as hath been reported) a favourer of the novel doctrine. The following is very obfervable: "The ufe of the word Demon, in the worst fenfe, or directly for a Devil, will be almoft confined to the Gofpels, where the fubject spoken of, being men vexed with evil spirits, could admit no other fenfe nor use." It is evident then (fays the Bishop), that Mr. Mede was fo far from falling fhort in belief, that the carried it farther than the generality of Chriftian divines.'

From different parts of the Bishop's Works, we will tranfcribe his fentiments of fome diftinguifhed fects of Chriftians; and from thence the judicious Reader will be able to difcover the leading bias of his mind, with refpect to theological prinçiples and inftitutions.

POPERY. It took its rife in times of the greateft ignorance and fuperftition, of the greateft degeneracy and wickednef; was advanced by little and little; was propagated fometimes with all the cunping and dexterity, fometimes with all the malice and cruelty in the world.'

DISSENTERS. I fpeak not of all, but of many of them (and am forry to fay it, but the truth compels me), that they are no lefs ene. mies to the conflitution in church and itate than the Papilts themfelves. Nay it may be queflioned, whether the danger is not greater at prefent arifing from the Diffenters than the Papilts.-The Papifts are no declared enemies to royalty and nobility; but the Diffenters are for levelling all degrees, and have laid the crown and nobility all in the duft. When Jacobitifm fubfided, the Papitts were for

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