as were not only very different from, but utterly incompa tible with that vengeful deftruction. Towards the clofe of our author's performance, he informs us, that he had now and then amufed himself with effaying a fearch into the labyrinth of Mr. Warburton's thoughts upon this fubject, to find out how and by what fteps he was led into the unlucky mistake, that the Jewish religion was framed with a particular view of building chriftianity upon the ruins of the temple. And as fufpenfe, fays he, is the most uneafy state of the mind, and moreover is aggravated in fuch 'cafes as thefe by the sense of a defeat, therefore in thefe kinds of flights efpecially, fome hypothefis is always framed for the mind to rest upon. Forced by this weakness, I fat down contented with the following conclufion, which though it may very likely not prove to be the true folution of this infuperable difficulty; yet the reader will, I hope, fee reafon enough why I fhould be induced to acquiefce in it.' We shall prefent our readers with the folution given to this infuperable difficulty, as our author is pleased to call it, as a small specimen of his manner of writing. First then, fays he, it was easy to obferve, that this opinion concerning the perpetuity of the Jewish us had been efpoufed, and confidently affirmed by feveral of the ancient fathers of the chriftian church, and even by the Jews themfelves. The fingular indignation fhewn in executing this vengeance gave this notion its principal rooting. In this fituation of mind it was natural for the fathers both to search and to find in the prophets farther and fuller fatisfaction in the point. Accordingly Dr. Hammond obferves, that all this (belief) feems to have foundation in the exprefs words of Daniel †, He fhall make it defolate until the confummation; which words are exprefsly brought by our author for this very purpofe t. But his delicacy not rightly liking the ground on which this interpretation of that prophecy was built, fet his wits to work to provide another foundation, which lying deeper, and under the first should give the building all that ftrength and firmnefs which it wanted. In making this inquiry it was obvious to remark, that the Jewish Temple worthip was framed exprefsly with * Vide Hammond, in Rom. x. 16. et Bafnage Hift. de Juifs, 1. 1. + Dan. ix. 27. Page 15. a par a particular view to the preservation of their religion Hence it was eafy to collect, that this Temple-worship was framed with a particular view to the deftruction of that religion. These things will appear to be naturally connected, when we confider the all-comprehenfive mind of the infinitély-fkilful architect (who must neceffarily have a complete view of his defign from one end to the other) together with the peculiar fingularity of the whole conftitution of Judaifm. Thus far we fee the work advanced without any strain upon the inventive faculty. But another difficulty was yet behind, how to find out a way of connecting the neceffary prefervation of chriftianity with that deftruction of Judaifm: A difficulty fo great, that I am apt to think the defign would have dropt here, had not that quickening shame which we all feel on any occafion of having our wits baffled, now proved an irrefiftible impulfe to rifque every thing rather than fubmit to the reproach. In this extremity therefore we are not to wonder if we find an unexpected condefcenfion fhewn to the Mathematicians. The poet tells us, that in extreme cafes, fas eft et ab hofte doceri. Now it had happened very luckily for the purpose, that the great modern Father of the mathematics had invented a new and curious way of improving that' science by a fiction; according to which quantities are fuppofed to be generated by the continual flux or motion of others. In the application of this method it became neceffary to confider thefe quantities, fometimes in a nafcent, and at other times, in an evanefcent ftate, by which ingenious contrivance they could be made either, continually to tend to and at laft abfolutely to become nothing, or vice versa, according to the intention and occafions of the Artift. Now by extending this noble invention to the two religions, it evidently appeared, that, from the time of the first coming of Chrift, Judaifm entered into its evanefcent ftate, as on the other hand Christianity did into a nafcent state, by which means both being put into a proper flux, one was feen continually decaying, and the ot her continually improving, till at last by the deftruction of the Temple Judaism actually vanished and became nothing, and the chriftian religion then burfted out a perectly generated entity. This it can't be denied was lucky hit; and there was this farther advantage attending it, that as the great author of the mathematical method of fluxions had for very good reasons ftudiously avoided giving any definition of the precife magnitude of those moments, by whofe help he difcovers the exact magnitude of the generated quantities, fo our author, by the fame rule of application, and under the influence of the fame authority, was fairly excufed from defining that precife degree of perfection and imperfection in which the two religions fubfifted, during the refpective evanefcent and nafcent ftate of each, by the help of which he discovered the precise time, when Judaifm was perfectly abolished, and Christianity perfectly established. But we may well fuppofe, that the moft alluring charm in this extraordinary piece of ingenuity, was the creating of a new character by it: For queftionless he may now be justly filed the great founder and inventor of the fluxionary method of theology. I am the more inclined to give into this opinion, that the thought of giving an air of probability to his fcheme was taken from the mathematicians, as we see these gentlemen made the constant butts of his wit upon every occafion that offers throughout this treatise; for it is well known to be no uncommon practice among very ingenious wits to abufe thofe moft to whom they are moft obliged. 'Thus we are arrived at the finishing ftroke of the whole fabric In which however the greateft difficulty of all is ftill feen ftanding and unremoved. For all that has been hitherto produced reaches no farther than to a total destruction of the temple, whereas it was a final one only that could ferve his purpose. What was now to be done? to remove the obstacle was not in the compafs of man's wit: But having advanced with fo much fuccefs to the concluding point, all talk of receding was given to the winds; and if the mountain could not be cleared away, yet a proper pair of wings would enable him to fly over it. this purpose, big as it is, yet no notice is taken of it, that fo under the cover of that filence the change might not be difcerned by the reader, when he faw it roundly afferted to be evident, that a repugnancy in the coexiftence of Judaifm and Chriflianity would require God's interpofition to prevent the reftoration of the temple, or, which is the fame thing, require the final destruction of the temple; whereas, on the contrary, it is notoriously evident, that For this this repugnancy in the co-existence of the two difpenfations confifte wholly and folely in the limited and imperfect nature of the one, and the unlimited perfection of the other. In this fenfe only it is, that the exiftence of Judaifm is inconfiftent with that of christianity; and in this fenfe indeed the fuppofition of their co-exiftence is a contradiction; but then 'tis notorious, that the existence of this contradiction has no manner of relation to the meer exercise of the acts of the Jewish worship, and therefore can have no kind of dependance upon the ruin or reftoration of the temple. In fhort, this fancy of a neceffary connexion between the temple-edifice, and the being of chriftianity, puts one in mind of a like connexion, which the honeft yeoman of Kent fancied there was between Tenterden fleeple and Goodwin fands. Upon the whole we may fafely conclude, that this pretended chriftianity which is of fuch an unfubftantial nature, that it must neceffarily vanish at the restoration of the temple, can be nothing elfe but a meer ghoft, conjured up by the force of our author's magical circle, drawn from the nature of the two difpenfations to the prophecies, and round about again from the prophecies to the nature of the two difpenfations. But if it be a ghaft, it is evidently the ghost of departed fudaifm.' He proceeds foon after, in the way of ridicule, as follows. " In effect, fays he, if this doctrine of the final destruction of the temple be fo clearly revealed, and evidently deduced from fcripture, and at the fame time of fuch prime importance to the being of chriftianity as our author hath fuggefted; then it must be a neceflary fundamental article of the chriftian faith, and confequently both the creeds, as they ftand at prefent in our liturgy, are defective in this refpect, for no fuch article is to be found in either of them. On the contrary, they muft unavoidably lead us into fundamental error on this head; for it is plainly fuppofed in both as they now stand, that this kingdom of Chrift had its first beginning while he was upon earth, and in confequence of that, immediately after the afcenfion, he is faid to be placed at the right hand of God, that is, upon the throne of this kingdom; after which follows the article concerning the general judgment. • This chasm then ought undoubtedly to be filled up; which, with all due deference to my fuperiors, may, I think, be done by inferting into the larger or Nicene creed fome fuch words as thefe: He afcended into heaven, and fat fat at the right-hand of the father. Whence he came in majelty and power to judge the Jewish nation, when his kingdom had its first beginning, and from thence he shall come in perfon to judge both the quick and dead, whofe kingdom fball have no ending.' It will be likewife fitting that a proper day be fet a part for the celebration of this important festival, and a suitable collect drawn up for the occafron, whereby we may be annually put in mind to offer up our prayers to almighty God, returning him our unfeigned thanks for raifing his church out of the ruins of the temple of Jerufalem, and bumbly befeeching him that he would pleafe to continue the inestimable bleffing of this his kingdom upon earth, and fo to watch over his mountain of Zion, as finally to prevent the refloration of that temple for the purpofe of Jewish worship. Every body fees that the prefent juncture is very favourable for making this new improvement, now the calendar is to be altered in purfuance to the late act for changing the ftyle; and I hope the whole will be thought a proper fubject for the care of thofe ingenious and pious gentlemen, who are at prefent fo laudably employed in reforming all parts of the liturgy by their curious difquifitions.' The attempt of the emperor Julian to rebuild the temple of Jerufalem, our author referves to be confidered in the next part of his Review, ART. VI. Remarks upon a Treatife, intituled, Free and candid Difquifitions, relating to the Church of England, &c. In fome Letters to a worthy Dignitary of the Church of Wells. Wherein an Attempt towards a Difcovery of the true and real Defign of the Difquifitions, is humbly fubmitted to the Confideration of the fericus and thinking Members of the Establishment. Part the SECOND. By a Prefbyter of the Church of England. Octavo, 3s. Innys. I N the first part of the performance now before us, our author is at great pains to fhew that the propofal for altering the frame of our liturgy, and for contracting the three fervices into one, is neither expedient, prudent, or justifiable;-that the reafons affigned for the alteration, are by no means of weight fufficient to warrant it ;-that the objections made to the length of our fervices, to the repetitions in them; to the manner in which they are generally read, # Boswell, prebend of wells. and |