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THE

LONDON MAGAZINE.

SEPTEMBER,

1749.

Having given an Abstract of Dr. Middleton's Free Inquiry into the Miraculous Powers of the Primitive Church *, and of Mr. Dodwell's Free Anfwer thereto †, que fball now give an Abstract of A Defence of the Free Inquiry, by Frederick Toll, A. M. Rector of Logmersfield, HampChire.

U

centuries deferve as much credit as thofe of the first or fecond.

Upon the first of the five heads of Dr. M's. Inquiry, Mr. T. replies, that if thef miraculous powers had no effect on the converfion of heathens, it is not easy to conceive for what purpose they were continued in the church; and if they bad, it is as A Ihard to conceive how all the writers for fo long a fpace of time could avoid taking particular notice of fome of them; especially, as in the lets of the Apofiles we find the perfons, time, place and occafion of every miBracle fo circumftantially denoted. And as these miraculous powers have certainly ceafed long fince, without any writer's having ever taken notice of the time when they did ceafe, the event of their ceafing could appear no more extraordinary to the writers of the firft or fecond century, than to thofe of any future century.

PON the point in question, as stated by Dr. M. and answered by Mr. D. Mr. Toll obferves, that neither of the meanings put upon the doctor's words by Mr. D. can be the doctor's meaning. "I fuppofe, fays Mr. T. it will be admitted, that many things may be poffible to almighty power, which are in themselves incredible: Incredible, not because they are contrary to the enablished laws of nature, but because they are trifling, because ridiculous, because to C no manner of end or purpose. Several miracles of this character Dr. M. has produced in the course of his work, as deliver'd down to us from the earliest ages upon the authority of the fathers. To these inftances therefore, and others of the like nature, his meaning in the paffage under confideration is in all fair and equitable conftruction to be D

reftrained."

As to the credit due to church historians, Mr. T. admits it to be a queftion of great moment, but obferves, that even Mr. D. himself has confeffed, that falfe miracles might have been obtruded by wicked, and believed by weak men, without prescribing any rule for determining which of the hiftorians we are to give credit to, and to E which we are not, except that mentioned by Dr. M. which depends on the characters of the perfons attefting, or the nature of the things attefted; and as to both thefe, the hiftorians of the 3d, 4th, and following

See our Magazine for January, p. 17.

As to the miracle at the martyrdom of Polycarp, Mr. T. first gives his reafons for difhelieving it, and then obf.rves, that fuppofing it to be true, it proves nothing against Dr. M. who undertakes only to fhew, that we have no good reafon to believe, that God Almighty did continue to work miracles by the agency or inftrumentality of man, after the days of the apostles; but does not pretend to fhew, that God Almighty might not fufpend, or reverfe, the laws of nature, upon any occafion that in his wifdom he might think worthy of it.

Upon the fecond, as to the teftimony of Irenæus, Mr. T. obferves, that even Mr. D. himfelf allows, that his expression or teftimony is to be underflood in a limited fenfe; and afterwards Mr. T. fhews, that Irenaus himself had not the gift of tongues, which of all others was the most neceffary for the And as to what St. place of his miflion.

Paul fays, in his epiftles, Mr, T. infifts,
that it is molt agreeable to reason to refrain
it to a few of the most eminent difciples.
D dd 2
Upon

See Do. for July, p. 318.,

of Dr. Middleton's

head, Mr. T. juftifies Dr. M's. obfervations on Jeftin Martyr and Irenæus, and afterwards obferves, that a man's laying down his life for his opinions is no proot of his capacity or judgment, and confequently no proof of his having never been impofed on as to facts, or led into errors.

A

Upon the fourth head, as to the power of railing the dead, Mr. D. fays, that the frequency of this miracle might have been the very reason why particular inftances are not recorded: To which Mr. T. anfwers, that as to common natural occurrences this argument might hold, but with respect to fuch extraordinary fupernatural occurrences, it was downright ridiculous: And as to Theophilus, Mr. D. having faid B that Autolicus defired to fee a man raised from the dead with his own eyes, and that this being refufed was no fign of the power being withdrawn; Mr. T. answers, that the paffage, as cited by Mr. D. himself, plainly demonftrates, that Theophilus was not able to give his friend the fatisfaction he required, either by railing a perfon him- C felf, by letting him fee one raised by any other, or by fhewing him one then alive, whom he could make fufficient proof to have been once dead.

As to healing the Eck, especially that of the emperor Severus being cured by the chriftian Proculus, Mr. T. obferves, that Tertullian, who relates this fact, does not relate it as a miracle.

As to cafting out devils, Mr. D. having only referred to a late treatife on the fubject, Mr. T. obferves, that no treatife written on the cafe of demoniacks, as défcribed in the New Teftament, can be of any moment in the prefent difpute.

the argument as it stands at present ; but concludes thus :

"After all, let it not be underflood, that I take upon me peremptorily to decide upon the queflion, whether miraculous powers did, or did not, fubfift in the christian church and only intent of thefe papers is to fhew, after the days of the apostles: The whole that Dr M's hypothefis may be true, for any thing Mr. D. has faid to difprove it." A Satirical Piece baving been lately published at Paris with great Applause, intitled, A Letter to a young Lady newly married, we fhall give our Readers the following Extracts from it. She is an English Lady, but married to a French Nobleman; and the Letter begins thus.

Madam,

F you had been born at Paris, your education would have prevented many rufticities which you have brought over from London. Had you but a fingle one, laughed at. make us laugh, and it is mortifying to be it would I who do not laugh at them, may venture to tell you of them. Can you, after this, continue to be my friend? That would be still the English woman, defign is to make you a French one. and my is not enough to be à French woman by It marriage, you must become one by your behaviour. Confider the amiable nation that has adopted you: It will pardon your D vices, but never any thing that is impolite. You fhew your impolitenefs not only at home, but you carry it to our affemblies, and our publick walks.

As to prophetick vifions, and the dif covery of mens hearts, which Mr. D. E paffes over as of no importance, Mr. T. remarks, that both Ireneus and Tertullian affirm, that fome had this gift of difcover. ing mens hearts in their days, tho' 'tis a gift that does not appear evidently to have been ever given to the apoftles, which is a ftrong prefumption, that fuch a gift was never given to any future chriftian.

F

And as to the gift of tongues, Mr. D. having faid, that it was easy to affign a caufe why this gift in particular might he withdrawn, and the reft continued; Mr. T. fhews, that this gift was more neceffary to be continued than any other, because no man could make the proper ufe of any other, unless he could fpeak the language of the people among whom he G exercised the other.

Upon the filth head, Mr. T. illuftrates and enforces the aniwers made by Dr. M. to the several objections that might be started against his Free Enquiry.

And, lufty, be gives a short, view of

At home your impoliteness is glaring. It is now fix months fince you was married, and you ftill love your husband. fpect to her husband; but you, madam, are tirewoman has the fame weakness with reYour a marchionefs.

How long will you keep that demure Icok, fo ill becoming the married state, and pardonable only in ladies that long for a hufband? A gentleman told you, that you was handsome, and you blufhed: Open your eyes, madam: Here, the ladies never blush, but with the pencil. Why fo negligent of your drefs, when your husband is abfent 2 He comes home again, and you deck yourfelf out! I thought you very young, but you behave like a grandam: You are gone back to the age of the patriarchs : Borrow the book of modern fashions; you will read there, that ladies never dress, but to pleafe a lover, the publick, or themselves.

I could, madam, if I would, ruin your reputation, merely upon your behaviour of a morning. One finds you up at eight o'clock: That would be regular, if you were just come from a ball. And what ab you when up? You employ yourself in fet

tling

tling accounts withyour cook and your house-
fteward. Let me tell you, madam, it is
the husband's business to fettle accounts as
well as to pay, tho' my lady's entertain-
ments be the chief part of his expence.
What do you do next? you write to some
of your relations, who are as cold as their
country, and have nothing to recommend A
them, but good-fenfe, good-morals, and
freedom. What fhall I fay? you read
books of morality and hiftory, at a time
when our French pens are daily hatching
whole volumes of wit! What a world of
fine jokes fhould we have, if all this were
known!

to give for them, towards paying a tradefman, to whom he had done the honour of running in his debt. To mind one's debts is quite vulgar: debts are the badge and the proof of a high-birth; and I could lay a wager, that a debtor who owes 100,000l. is a greater lord by one half, than he who owes but fifty.

In talking of her impoliteness at affemblies, be fays, You bring it into our very affemblies. You boldly come there with the complexion nature gave you. The porters wife who opened the door to you, cut just the same figure. You had better cross the fea again, if you are refolved to appear fuch as you really are.

B
A little farther, be fays, You take your
place, without having run up to the glass,
and faid, What a frightful figure I make!
I am dreffed like a mad creature, &c.

At last it comes into your head, to go to your toilet; but how little do you know the importance, the order, and the duties of the toilet! You are but eighteen, and not fo much as one gentleman to attend you there; only a couple of chamber-maids, whom you never fcold at. The very first head-fuit they bring you is just what you chufe to have; and the gown you call for, is the gown you really put on. Your C women wonder how it happens, that they bestow more time in decking themselves out, than in dreffing their mistress. muft inform you, madam, that they fufpect your parentage. But who would be. lieve, that one of them was recommended to you by your hufband, after your having

I

And in talking of ber impoliteness in the publick walks, be fays, Nay worfe, you are feen there of a morning. But what figures do you fee there? Why, women without birth or beauty: Politicians, who think all places alike for contriving how to humble our enemies: Philofophers, who come there for an airing. Don't you fee, madam, that you're out of your place? One would think, that you went to walk there for nothing else but your health, &c.

And be concludes his letter thus: Do you

difmiffed that notable girl, who was bred D not agree to it as a principle, that France

up at court?

The bell rings for dinner, and down you come into the hall, before it has ceafed tinkling. Had you no more ribbons to put on, to make the company wait for you? But, oh! aftonishing! your steward came in and told his mailer, that his orders had been obey'd; and I pofitively know, that you yourself taught him that ill-bred E expreffion Every where else, it is always, Madam, your orders have been obeyed. When the company had fat down to table (here I cannot help laughing, tho' it gives me pain) you afk'd a bleffing: We imagined curfelves at the houfe of the vicar, who would perhaps have done us the favour to fpare that ceremony, but my lady F marchionefs would not,

A little farther, talking of ber pulling a pair of ber bufband's ruffles out of ber qwork-basket, be fays, -What a fine opportunity you then had to enrich your attire! That fet of diamonds you found at the bottom of it, what a fine water, and how much fuperior to thofe you have? Your husband had flily ftole them in there, by way of prefent: But how ill bestowed! You admired his generofity, but feemed more pleased with his gallantry than with the jewels, which you returned, and inifted upon his applying the money he was 3

G

is a model for all other countries? If you doubted of it, the whole nation would come in a body to tell you fo. And tho' not in a body, does it not tell you so every day? Who can know us better than ourfelves? Have we not, befides, the approbation of all foreigners, whom we en. rich with our modes, courtefies, and kickthaws; who have entertained themselves with our pantins; who have adopted our equipages, pompons, and periwigs? Do not you fee crouds of them come to form their manners by ours? Do we ever return them the vifit?

Set out upon this principle, madam, and correct your conduct.

Paris, Aug. 7, 1749.

Account of the Weekly Journals.

LD England, of Sept. 2, from the

frequent fires that have lately happened in and about this metropolis, takes occafion to treat on the great fire of London in 1666; and from an old pamphlet on the fubject, reprefents the uncharitableness of parties, in charging it reciprocally upon one another. The papifts, he fays, have been generally charged with it, and they retort it back again upon the fanaticks. He hopes that neither of them are guilty, and obferves, that differant parties won't flick at

different