Gift of his Grace) and (in p. 13.) he fays exprefsly, that from these two Sources (the true Obligation of Morality and Man's natural Inability to pratife it) Glory to God moft eminently refults, and then he discharges every Foundation of Morality but Conformity to the Will of God, not to much as leaving us any Way to discover this Will; as indeed, without fome prior Rule of Truth and Right, must be abfolutely impoffible: And then comes the violent Affertion of Man's Inability to practife Virtue, and the extraordinary Condemnation of the old Philofophers, and particularly of the great Cicero, as he calls him, for maintaining the contrary. It should feem ftrange, that the Glory of God fhould confift in Man's Inability to practise Virtue; and yet, which makes it, if poffible, more abfurd, that this Virtue fhould ftill be required of him. But so it muft be, and Cicero is to be exposed for afferting the contrary in the finest Sentiments. I fhall fet down the Original and our Author's Tranflation, for the Sake of the Beauty and Juftnefs of the Thought, and to fhew, how strongly the Senfe of Truth must have forced itfelf on the Mind, even of this bold Writer himself.

Cicero, de Nat. Deor. L. III. C. 36. Atque hoc quidem omnes Mortales fic babent, externas Commoditates, Vineta, Segetes, Oliveta, Ubertatem Frugum, & Fru&tuum, omnemque denique Commoditatem, Profperitatemque Vita, a Diis fe babere; Virtutem autem Nemo unquam acceptam Deo retulit. Nimirum rete; propter Virtutem enim Jure laudamur, & in Virtute rede gloriamur; quod non contingeret, fi id Donum a Deo, non a nobis, baberemus. At vero aut Honoribus au&ti, aut Re familiari, aut fi aliud quippiam na&ti fumus fortuiti Boni, aut depulimus Mali, cum Diis Gratias agimus, tum nihil noftræ Laudi affumptum arbitramur. Num quis, quod bonus Vir effet, Gratias Diis egit unquam? At, quod dives, quod bonoratus, quod incolumis.Ad Rem autem ut redeam, Judicium hoc omnium Mortalium eft, Fortunam a Deo petendam, a feipfo fumendam effe Șapientiam.

It may hardly be thought worth Notice, that thefe Sentiments are but inaccurately charged upon Cicero; for they are by him put into the Mouth of one of his Opponents, and are therefore not to be confidered as his Opinion, but as what he is to oppofe if needful. Our Author is too fuperior a Writer to attend to fuch Niceties of Truth and Fact. This is, indeed, a very trifling Inftance of Carelesness and Injuftice compared with fome of much greater Importance that he has allow'd himself in; as appears to almoft every one that has taken any Notice of him.

This Writer's Tranflation is thus (p. 14.) "All the Commodities "of Life are the Gift of Heaven; but Virtue no Man ever yet thought "came from God. For, who ever returned him Thanks that he was "good and honeft? and why fhould he? for Virtue is properly our "own Praife, and that in which we ourselves have a Right to glory. "This, in fhort, is the Opinion of all Mankind, that the Goods of "Fortune are to be ask'd of Heaven, but Wisdom is to be had only "from ourselves."

Thefe, it seems, are the Sentiments of the Pagan World, of the great Cicero, utter Strangers to the Doctrine of divine Grace; and would to God, that Chriftians maintain'd no worfe Principles than these !

But what would this proud Theologist be at? Would he deny the

Truth

Truth of this beathenish Doctrine? or would he contend, that Chriftianity teaches the contrary? Either Way he muft furely have a very bad Caufe,For, in the firft Refpect; On what plainer Foundation can all Morality and Religion stand than in the just Distinction of our Capacities and our Actions? Can any Thing be required of Mankind by God, but what is in their own Power? And what elfe is in a Man's Power, if his own Actions are not? Is the Deity to be thank'd for what he himseif does, or for what Man does?Is not the Dependence of a Creature fufficiently fecure, if all its Powers and Capacities and Opportunities are acknowledged to be from God, both their Exiftence and Continuance? But muft their Actions also be thought the Actions of God? This is not only abfurd, but deftructive of all moral Capacity. If the Glory of God refulted from the Inability of his Creatures, as this judicious Divine afferts (p. 13.) his greatest Glory would have confifted in beftowing no Capacities upon any; and in having made no Agents at all. But on the contrary, it seems to be the highest Glory of the Creation, that there are moral Agents in it, who can pay a voluntary Obedience to the Laws of Reason, and to the Will of the great Sovereign and moral Governor of the Universe. But enough upon so plain a Subject, and fuch evident Principles of Reason and common Sense.

Would our Author then affect to teach, that this Doctrine is contrary to Chriftianity? This, indeed, is his profeffed Defign. But as he has brought no Proofs, I hope it will only be taken for the rash and prefumptuous Attempt of Superiority and Infolence.

The Chriftian Religion is perfectly agreeable to, nay founded on, thefe great Truths; as indeed all true Religion must neceffarily be. The moral Agency of Man, and the divine Acceptance of his beft Actions, run thro' the whole Chriftian Scheme. If thou doft well, shalt thou_not be accepted? He bath fhew'd thee, O Man, what the Lord requireth of thee, to do Juftice, to love Mercy, and to walk bumbly with thy God. Chriftians are commanded to love Truth, and practife Righteoufnels; to do the Will of their heavenly Father. He that doth Rightecufness is righteous. Thefe Proofs are numberless and unneceffary to be brought to any Confiderer of Chriftian Religion; and why they are thus oppofed I cannot imagine. If it be to promote the Glory of God, he is highly mistaken. His Glory muft neceffarily confift in the Excellency and O. bedience of his Creation, and his highest Glory in the voluntary and moral Obedience of all his rational Creatures.

Still I am at a Lofs to find out what Motive or Mistake could lead this learned Divine into these strange and mischievous Opinions. I know that great Geniuses are apt to fcorn the vulgar Track, and often fancy themselves fuperior to common Sense; and that Zeal for a good Caufe will fometimes prejudice a weak Judgment; but I think thefe Pretences will not excufe a Chriftian Divine for having mifreprefented Chriftian Principles of fuch Importance; and for having thus exposed this excellent Religion to the Scorn of all fuch as pay any Deference to his Authority. Indeed it may well be hoped, that these are few.

I have been fometimes ready to fancy, that this haughty Man might poffibly be mifled by a certain known Example of a proud Pharifee, well seprefented in the 18th Chapter of St Luke's Gofpel; a Character he might be, perhaps, difpofed to be a little fond of. This Man is faid to

have flood and pray'd thus with himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as other Men are, &c. Our Author may have mistaken his Notions of Christianity from the Behaviour of this notable Religionist, and fo might imagine this to be an Inftance of a chriftian Spirit, to thank God for a Man's being poffeffed of fuch extraordinary Virtues; and in his Zeal for this noble Character might forget that the Parable is told on purpose to expose this very Principle and Behaviour, and to fhew in its proper and ridiculous Light fuch affected Humility and prefumptuous Pride.

But be this as it may: One Obfervation is very plain from this extraordinary Performance. That Learning and Ingenuity are very dangerous Talents in the Hands of a rash, injudicious, bold Man; who will court Applaufe, and endeavour to raise his own Character and Fortune at the Expence of Truth and Chriftianity too; who without Caution or Experience, has arrived at fuch a fuperior Contempt of Mankind, that he can hope to pafs his weak and undigested Criticisms and common-place Learning upon the World for Judgment and Knowledge; and laugh at the firft Principles of Truth and Virtue without having thought about them; and can all the while affect an Air of Gravity and orthodox Opinion, as a fpecial Qualification for Power and Preferment.

These Prefumptions may dazzle the Weak and Ignorant; but in the Account of every wife and good Man, fuch a Character will be juftly defpifed and avoided.

Mr. URBAN,

T

York.

HO' many learned Men have attempted to folve the Formation," and Afcent of Vapours, yet none, I think, come so near the Point, as the Rev. and Learned Doctor Defagaliers; notwithstanding whofe Faithfulness in Experiments and Sagacity in Theory, the Author of the Compendious Syftem of Natural Philofophy, feems to fet afide the Doctor's Solution, affirming, that it is attended with infurmountable Difficulties; however I purpose to fhew that the Objections, which are offered, are not fo great as to be able to throw down fuch an Hypothefis (as he calls it) fince it is founded upon Experiment. Those who would fee the Doctor's Solution may find it in the Philofoph. Tranf. but more compendiouЛly fet down by Mr. R- -g in his Differtation concerning the Formation and Afcent of Vapours, Page 133, Part 2d, of his Compend. Syft. where may be found the Objections he brings, which fince I fhall examine them, must be fet down at large.

Object. 1. "If the repulfive Power of the Particles of Water is fuffi"ciently augmented by Heat, as fuch, to make 'em recede from each other, and fpecifically lighter than our common Air; how comes it to "pafs, that all the Particles of Water, (as foon as, or before, it boils) have "not their repulfive Forces thus augmented, fince they are all under a "much greater Degree of Heat, than is neceffary to raise Vapour?

To this I anfwer.-Let us fuppofe a Veflel of Water fet upon a Fire, and let us suppose likewife the Water in the Veffel to be divided into an

A a

infinite

infinite Number of parallel Lamina; then the first Lamina heated will be that which is contiguous to the Bottom of the Veffel; this, therefore, becoming fpecifically lighter, muft afcend till it finds fome Medium of the fame fpecifick Gravity with itself; the next then contiguous, is that which was the 2d, and the next fucceeding is that which was the 3d, and fo on for the Others, in their Order; fo that the repulfive Forces do begin to exert themselves after a certain Degree of Heat; but it can't be fuppofed, that the Water in the Veffel fhall vanish like the Aurum Fulminans, or any other combustible: I grant the Particles of Water are under a much greater Degree of Heat, than is juft neceffary to raise a Steam; but yet it does no ways follow, that there is no Medium betwixt that Degree, and. what is requir'd to change it into Steam immediately, without any gradual Succeffion of the Lamine, as it is above defcribed, nor do I think it poffi ble, that fuch a Degree of Heat can be afforded by human Art.

Object. 2d. "Allowing that they may rife from the Surface of the Water, and float in the circumambient Air, as being specifically lighter than it, why do not their repulfive Forces, as they rife up in the Air, and the fuperincumbent Preffure of the Atmosphere becomes lefs, drive them to greater Distances from each other, and fo cause them to con"tinue lighter than the Air at all Heights ?

I must needs confefs, I can't fee how this can be brought against the Doctor as an Objection to what he faid; for as yet he never fo much as intimated that the Rarity, or Denfity of the Vapour, depended on the Preffure of the incumbent Atmosphere, (according to Mr. Rg's own Account of the Doctor's Solution) but chiefly on the Degrees of Heat. Was the Heat to encrease in Proportion as the Vapour afcends, (a Thing no ways to be made out) or fhould the Doctor have fuppofed airy Particles to have compos'd the Vapour, (which he entirely opposes) and fo to be an elaftick Fluid, then there might have been room to think that the Vapour fhould be lighter than the Air, at all Heights, (i. e.) that the Preffure of the Atmosphere, and the repulfive Forces are to each other in a Reciprocal Ratio; the one increafing as the other decreases. Your Humble Servant,

HYDROSTATICUS BOREALIS.

I

Mr URBAN,

Ay, Aug. 3. 1743

N reading over a late Treatife by the Learned and Ingenious Dr JTp, intitled, The Nature, Folly, Sin, and Danger of being Righteous vermuch, &c. I have ventur'd to make fome curfory Remarks, or rather Hints on fome Paffages in that Work. The Dr fays, "When "once Men have forfaken the Via Regia, the King's High-way to lea ven, as plainly mark'd out in Holy Scripture; deferted the ftanding Rules and Orders of an excellently conftituted Church, as ours is,. "&c." This manner of Expreffion, I fay, the Via Regia, the King's, High way to Heaven, whatever good Mcaning was intended thereby, is, diametrically oppofite to the Language of Scripture, where it is expressly.. faid from Chrift's own Mouth, "Enter ge in at the ftrait Gate; for wide is the Gate, and bread is the Way, that leadeth to Deftruction, and many

there

there be which go in thereat: Because ftrait is the Gate, and narrow is the Way, which leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it. St Math, vi. 13, 14.

The Dr tells us. It is very obfervable, that the Righteous overmuch, the Enthufiafts and falle Spiritualists, have, in all Ages, hated the Establishe "Church and Clergy; of late Years, and here in England particularly "Which I think is much to the Honour of the Church and Clergy.""

And again he says, "The Reafon, why all the Enemies of the Chriftian Religion, (obferve by the Way, he is no Chriftian that differs from his "High-prietly Notions) among us, however they may differ in other Ro. "fpects, do yet, by the Devil's Policy, and their own Inclinations, unite in one Body against the Established Church and Clergy, is this very plain one, Because the Established Church is the Fortress, the Strong "Hold of the Chriftian Religion, and the Clergy the Garrison, or Soldiers "that defend it." Much good may it do the Doctor, in indulging so fanguine, and fnug a Contentment, and Hugging, as it were himself and Bre thren, in, I fear, a fatal Security. Indeed the London Clergy, and those .in large Populous Cities and Towns, may be said, I hope, generally to per form the Duties of their Sacred Function. But alas! is not the Cafe otherwife in many Country Parishes through the Kingdom, by Means of Pluralities and Non-Refidence, &c. &c?

Instead of Garrison'd Soldiers, do we find there so much as Sentinels? and do they not flumber, or rather fleep on their Pofts! But instead of delivering my own Opinion on this Head, I fhall conclude this little Effay with an Abstract or two from the Charges to their Clergy, of two the most eminent Prelates that ever adorned or rather bleffed our Church.

1 Bishop Bull. How much Skill is requifite to qualify a Man for the Prieftly Office? How great Care in the Discharge of it? What a fad. Thing it would be, if, through my Unskilfulness or Negligence, any one Soul fhould miscarry under my Hands, or die and perifh eternally!

a

We minister to Souls. Souls! Methinks in that one Word is a Sermon. • Immortal Souls, precious Souls! one whereof is more worth than all the World befides, the Price of the Blood of the Son of God. And for our Encouragement here, let us remember, that tho' many Things are required of a Minifter, yet the chief and most indifpenfible Requifites are thefe two, a paffionate Defire to fave Souls, and an unwearied Diligente in the Pursuit of that noble Defign. The Minifter that wants thefe two Qualifications will hardly país the Teft, or gain the Approbation of • God, the great Judge and Tryer; but where these are found, they will ⚫ cover a Multitude of other Failings and Defects. Let us, therefore, Reverend Brethren, (and may I here conjure both You and Myself by the en⚫ deared Love we bear to our own Souls, and the precious Souls, commit ted to our Charge, yea by the Blood of the Son of God, the Price of both.) Let us, I beseech you, from henceforth return to our several Charges, zealously and induftrioufly plying the great Work and Bufinefs that is before us. Let us think no Pains too great to escape that greater Judgment that otherwife attends us. Let us ftudy hard, and read much, and pray often, and preach in Season and out of Season, and catechize the Youth, and take wife Opportunities of inftructing those who, being of riper Years, may yet be as unripe in Knowledge, and vifit the Sick; fhewing to all our Flock the Example of a watchful, boly,

• bumble