'our religion; when these and other caufes of a like kind are attended to, it cannot be thought wonderful that there should, as to fome particulars, have been a great diverfity of fentiments and opinions among chriftians.

This Author in the fecond fection gives a sketch of fome beretical opinions which prevailed in the three first centuries, till the reign of Conftantine, and in the third he relates fome of those which difturbed the church from the laft-mentioned period till the full eftablifhment of popery. One paffage from this part of his work is as follows:

⚫ Amidst such a multiplicity of opinions partly agreeing and partly difagreeing, what wonder was it, that the paffions of men were much inflamed, and their minds embittered one against another? In the public estimation, how did they rife or fall according to the feveral decrees of Councils, and the different attachments of different Popes and Emperors? The fmiles and frowns of fortune changed alternately, fometimes on the Catholick, and fometimes on the oppofite fide: Dignity and disgrace, victory and banishment, were the uncertain lots, which fell by turns upon Arius and Athanafius, the Omo-oufians or Omoi oufians, the true or falfe believers, according to the prevailing fyftem of orthodoxy.-In fupport of thefe jarring fentiments no pains were fpared: Pious frauds, vifions and legendary ftories were often invented; and to give a ftronger fanction than all, a fucceffive train of fictitious miracles were continually forged with great craft and diffimulation, though under a fpecious difguife of truth, and a fincere regard to the intereft of religion. Creeds were fet up by oppofite parties against creeds, and fynods against fynods.?

But this great variety of opinions upon difputable points, formed not the worst part of church hiftory: the greatest evil was, that the pride, the weakness, the felfishness of men were engaged, and, from what might be often in itfelf innocent, raifed the flames of difcord and hatred, to the difgrace of the church, and destruction of real piety and goodness!

After giving a sketch of the errors of popery, and those which arofe from monkery and fchool-divinity, Mr. Rawlins obferves farther, that the reformation, though a happy means of deliverance from the corruptions of the church of Rome, was not without its blemishes. In the remaining part of his pamphlet he endeavours to fhew, that the multiplicity of religious errors is no ground of objection against the truth of chriftianity, no proof of the infufficiency of the fcriptures, nor of the neceffity of a fupreme judge or infallible interpreter. He farther infifts, that this diversity of opinion is really agreeable to the express declarations of fcripture, that it is no reafon for the obftruction of free enquiry, or for impeaching the wisdom or goodness of God, or the moral excellence of human nature.

The Author treats thefe fubjects in a fenfible and rational manner; but what his notions of the nature of error and heresy are, and in what refpects he thinks them innocent or finful, it is not in our power to determine exactly from the prefent performance; we must wait for a fecond differtation on these points, which, he tells us, he defigns to communicate to the world.

Art,

Art. 34. TA XIAIA ETH. A Differtation on the Millenium. 8vo. 13. Horsfield. 1772.

The publication of this pamphlet, we are informed, has been occafioned by a fermon printed on the fame fubject, in 1771, by Mr. Greenhill, who, according to the account here given, feems to believe "Now to be the intermediate space of time between the Millenium and the end of the world." This Writer, who discovers both good fenfe and learning, apprehends it may not be amifs to admonifh him, and others who may happen to agree with him in this particular, that the series of the prophecy, the course and order of the revelation exhibited by St. John, evince, that the Millenium is yet to come, nay that the feventh trumpet has not yet founded.'

After reciting the text in Rev. xx. ver. 4, where upon the binding of Satan, it is faid, And I faw the fouls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jefus, &c.-lived and reigned with Chrift a thousand years; he propofes the question, Whether these words be capable of any other than a literal interpretation ?'

In order to throw fome light upon the fubject he briefly, but cri tically, confiders what was the ftate of this controversy till about the middle of the third century: After this review, fays he, if we give our opinion of these matters fairly, and without reserve, it will amount to this: the doctrine concerning the millenial reign of Chrift appeared very early in the Church, and was built on a twofold foundation: firit, on the interpretation of thofe paffages in the prophets, which foretold the restoration of the kingdom to Ifrael, inforced by this text of St. John: the fecond from oral tradition, pretended to be delivered down by St. John from our Lord himself; yet that it never generally prevailed, nor was it in the purer ages received as the doctrine of the Church.'

The following is the fummary which the Writer gives of his own fentiments on the point under confideration: What I contend for is, fays he, that the firtt refurrection is not to be understood literally; and that here nothing more is expreffed, than that the enemies of Christ being dellroyed, and the power of Satan reltrained, the Church fhall enjoy, for a determined time, an uninterrupted peace. Were I to indulge my own fpeculations, I might feem to fee Mahometanism extirpated, Popery reformed, and the whole Church in general, both in manners and difcipline, enjoying a more than primitive purity. I could hope that our daily prayers would at length be answered, and that all who profefs and call themfelves Chriftians would be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of fpirit, in the bond of peace and righteoufnefs of life, unmolested by enemies without, unhurt by internal divifions. More than this is not from hence to be gathered; but as I take this to relate to that period, ch. xi. 15, in which the angels proclaim the kingdoms of this world to be our Lord's and his Chrift's, the fcene is enlarged, and all the ancient prophecies receive their completion by the restoration of the Jews, and call of the Gentiles. The many excellent things which are spoken of the city of God fhall be accomplifhed; and in a more literal fenfe, Chrift fhall have the Heathen' for his inheritance, and be anointed King on his holy hill of Sion.'

Our Author offers feveral confiderations in fupport of his hypothe fis, which appears to us to be greatly fiurilar to that of Dr. Whitby; a particular account of which, with the arguments in its vindication, may be feen at the end of the fecond volume of his Com-> mentary on the New Testament.

The pamphlet concludes with a recital of fome paffages from the book of the Revelations, and from the prophecy of Ifaiah †, which defcribe the happiness of the Nerv Jerufalem, referring, as this Writer feems to fuppofe, both to the fate of the Chriftian Church upon earth, and its final and perfect felicity in a future world: The defcription is grand and affecting it recals to his mind, he fays, fome. lines in Pindar which he recommends to our perafal. They have fome fimilarity to the fcripture expreffions he had felected: he prefents them to us in the Greek, unattended by any English translation. It may not be unacceptable to fome of our Readers if we conclude this article by adding Mr. Weft's tranflation of this part of the fecond of Pindar's olympic odes:

"But in the happy fields of light,
Where Phoebus with an equal ray
Illuminates the balmy night,

And gilds the cloudlefs day

In peaceful, unmolested joy,

The good their fmiling hours employs
Them no uneafy wants constrain

To vex th' ungrateful foil,

To tempt the dangers of the billowy main,
And break their ftrength with unabating toil,
A frail difaftrous being to maintain.

But in their joyous calm abodes,
The recompence of juftice they receive;
And in the fellowship of Gods

Without a tear eternal ages live."—

Art. 35. Sermons to Tradefmen. 12mo. 1 s. Cadell, &c. 1772. This is certainly a very feafonable, and, if properly attended to, may prove a very ufeful publication. The first of the two fermons has paffed through one edition, and we cannot but express our wish that each of them may be more generally known and read. The fubject of the first is Proverbs xxiii. 4. Labour not to be rich: that of the fecond, Romans xii. 11. Not fothful in business. From the fecond of thefe difcourfes we fhall juft extract the following paffage, not as being fuperior to other parts, but as it appears to have fome particular propriety at the prefent time.

Some neglect their private concerns, by entering warmly into what they judge the concerns of the public; that is to fay, by becoming violent partifans in political contefts.-Were thofe liberties in danger, which are the birthright of Britons, and the glory of this favoured country, all who breathe this air of freedom, should exert their utmost in their defence. Every thing of private or perfonal confideration should give place when LIBERTY demands our aid.

Ch, xxi. 4, 23. xxii. 5.

† 1x. 19, 20.

I would

I would be far from endeavouring, by the moft diftant infinuation, to damp the hallowed fire of genuine patriotifm. I with every Bri tish breaft to feel its ardours. I had rather a jealousy of our privileges, which our ancestors purchased with their blood, fhould run into an extreme, than any encroachment on them be filently permitted and tamely borne.-But, my fellow-citizens, you fhould be upon your guard against the artifices of defigning ambitious men, who would pervert your honeft zeal for your country's good, to their own felfish finifter ends. And what is more frequent in political diffentions, than for the leaders of either party (whatever they profefs) to have far different objects in view from thofe of national advantage? Generally fpeaking-I except a few individuals-felf-intereft is their ruling principle.-A man who interferes in the contention ufually fubfifting between those who are in office and those who are out, to the neglect of his own domeftic bulinefs, will find it hard to reconcile his practice with his duty, and to juflify himself in the eye of prudence and wisdom.'

Art. 36. Sermons. By the late Rev. Mr. John Whitty, Minifter of the Gospel at Lyme-regis, Dorfet.. In two Volumes. Vol. I. Containing Difcourfes on the Lord's Prayer, with others on various Subjects, adapted to the Family and Clofet. Vol. II. Containing Difcourfes adapted to the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Evo. 10s. Buckland. 1772.

The Editor of thefe difcourfes informs us that, of the two volumes of fermons by this Author already published, few more were printed than had been fubfcribed for; that feveral perfons had expreffed their fatisfaction in them, and requested that their number might be increased; and that this has occafioned another publi

cation.

The true character of thefe difcourfes feems to us to be that they are ferious, practical, and well adapted to the edification of common chriflian focieties. They cannot be confidered as very animated, critical, or elegant productions: but in a plain, though not difgafting drefs they difcover a fpirit of piety in the writer, and a concern to advance real religion and virtue; to which purpose the different fubjects brought under confideration are all of them directed. The Author appears as a ferious and earnest advocate for all chriftian virtues and good works, arifing from a proper principle and dif pofition of mind. Though calvinistic in his fentiments, he does not, in these fermons, enter far into difputable points. In the first volume he pays very little regard to them, and in the second, the great ends of a religious and virtuous conduct are always kept in view; although here the Reader will find fomewhat more of the peculiarities of calvinism; and many, no doubt, will think that the view Mr. Whitty has given of the fupper of our Lord, is not firicly conformable to that plain, fimple, and fhort account of it which is found in the New Testament.

SERMON S.

1. The fure Foundation.-Occafioned by the Death of the Rev. Mr. B. Meffer. Preached in Grafton Street, June 21, 1772. By John Macgowan. Is. Keith.

H. At

. II. At the Five Fields Chapel, St. George's, Hanover-Square, before the Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Mafons, June 24, 1772, being the feftival of St. John the Baptift. By the Rev. Mr. John Gower. Published at the Requeft of the United Lodges, under the Sanction of Sir Robert Stewart. 8vo. 6d. Cooke, &c.

We have a good deal of Free-mafon wit in this fermon; for inftance: As the Mafon frequently tries every minute part of his work by the compass, square, level, and plumb-rule, in order to give to each member its true and exact proportion; in like manner should we conftantly try every minute action of our lives, whether it will Square with God's word; whether it is level with his commands; whether it is upright, according to the plumb-rule of conscience, and within the compafs of innocence.-In the quibbling days of gued King Jamie, a genius like this would certainly have made its way to the Mitre!

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the AUTHORS of the MONTHLY REVIEW,

GENTLEMEN,

N your Review for Auguft laft, I fee the Article Wenfley-Dale has fome particulars of Sir Ifaac Newton; to which I will only add, that what Fontenelle mentions in his panegyric on Sir Ifaac is true; that his mother was an Ayscough, fometimes written Afkew; and that she was of an ancient family, whose ancestors were confiderable gentry: the famous Anne Afkew, in Fox's Martyrology, was of the tame family. His mother's brother, Ayfcough, a clergyman, grandfather of my mother, was the perfon who infifted on his filter's completing Ifaac's education at the Univerfity, not according to the tra dition mentioned in the poem of Wenfley-Dale, of a gentleman obferving him in the field keeping fheep, but on the uncle's finding him in a hay-loft, at Grantham, working a mathematical problem.

Of this clergyman, Ayfcough, there are feveral defcendants, one of which is Mr. Thomas Ayfcough, who has lived above 50 years at the bankers in Lombard-Street (formerly Braffeys, and now Lee and Ayton) with others who are still in being as well as myfelf. My mother's fifter, who attended him in his laft illnefs, and who was very much with him at other times, has told me, that when he had any mathematical problems, or folutions, in his mind, he would never quit the fubject on any account. Dinner has been often three hours ready for him before he could be brought to table that his man often faid, when he has been getting up in a morning, he has fometimes begun to drefs, and with one leg in his breeches, fat down again on the bed, where he has remained for hours before he got his cloaths on; and my father has often told me that he was the moft modeft and bafhful man that could be; and that in company he was never pofitive nor overbearing, even in thofe matters which were demonftrated to his own mind. And I had the pleafure of experiencing, when a child, his humane and kind behaviour to children. I am, your humble fervant,

Da. 13, 1772.

I. H.'

We are obliged to I. H. for the foregoing Letter. Every circum flance relating to fuch a Genius as NEWTON must be acceptable to the friends of Science and Literature,