If, without laying any claim to abfolute perfection, we take a view of our establishment as compared with others, and appeal to experience for its merits, we fhall fee (I believe) abundant reafon to approve and to esteem it. We fhall not eafily find a church, whofe public worship is conducted with more decorum and propriety; where the truths of the gofpel are explained more ably, its duties more faithfully inculcated; where religious knowledge has been cultivated with more diligence, or purfued with lefs reftraint; where reafon, in its most improved ftate, has been more fuccefsfully employed in defending and establishing chriftianity; and, finally, where there remain to pofterity more illuftrious monuments of the learning, the wifdom, and the piety of its members.' III. The Religious improvement of awful events.-Preached at Blackley, September 21st. 1777; on occafion of a fhock of an Earthquake, which happened the preceding Lord's Day. To which is prefixed, The Theory of Earthquakes, from Sir Ifaac Newton, and others. By John Pope. 4to. 1s. 6d. Warrington Printed; and Sold by Johnson in London. In the difcourfe, introductory to the fermon, Mr. Pope has given, a review of the different hypothefes, relative to the fuppofed natural caufes of earthquakes, which have been advanced by Sir Ifaac Newton, the late Dr. Stukeley, and Dr. Prieftley; to which he has added, fome judicious fuggeftions of his own: the whole tending to establish, a theory of this moft curious, though awful phenomenon. With respect to the religious improvement of the fubject, in the fermon, it is equally pious and rational.-By an advertisement anInexed, we are informed, that the Author is preparing to give the public, a tranflation of M. BAUME's Chymie Experimentale et Raifonne. IV. Preached in the Parish Church of St. Mary Magdalen, in the Bail of Lincoln, at the Vifitation of the Archdeacon of Lincoln, May, 28th. 1777. By John Difney, D. D. Rector of Panton, and Vicar of Swinderby, in Lincolnshire, and Chaplain to the Bishop of Carlisle. 4to. Is. Johnson. This fermon, though upon a subject on which scarce any thing, new can be expected, does honour to the preacher, as it fhews a fteady and confiftent attachment to the great and important principle of chriftian liberty; however unfavourable a defence of them may be thought at this juncture.-It is the fubftance of a plea for a farther reformation in our established church, in thofe inftances, more especially, where reftraints feem to be laid upon the exercife of our common rights, as chriftians and proteftants: reftraints, which, in the preacher's opinion, are by no means confiftent with the principles on which the protestant reformation arofe, and on which alone it can be juftified. next. An account of Efays Moral and Literary will be given in our ERRATA in the REVIEW for December, is. 1.72, 1.D. for its forms & In this mouth, 10. 83, in the title of art. 36, for this ric, r. Theorie, with the acute accent over the last letter. for mancore, r. Manauvre. 96. p. l. 5 from abborrent, r. abhorrent. the bottom of that art for 04, art. 38, ART. T. A Harmony of the Evangelifts, in Greek; to which are prefixed, Critical Differtations in English. By Jofeph Priestley, LL. D. F. R. S. 4to. 14 s. Boards. Johnfan. 1777. SOM OME of Dr. Prieftley's writings on theological subjects have been cenfured, as too haftily produced; and it hath been fuggefted, that by beftowing more time, upon them, the author might have rendered them much more useful. Whether there be any juft ground for this complaint, we cannot take upon ourselves to determine. It is fufficient for us, on the prefent occafion, to obferve, that the book now before us is not a hafty production. Whatever, faith the ingenious Author, may be thought of the work which I now prefent to the Public, 1 can affare my Readers that there is hardly any fubject on which I have bestowed more pains, or to which I have given more time. From this account, and from the known abilities of the Author, the Reader will expect to find confiderable light thrown upon the fubject, in this performance; and we will venture to declare our opinion, that he will not be difappointed. The Harmony of the four Gofpels, faith Dr. P. or the reducing the history of our Saviour, as delivered by the four Evangelifts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, to the order of time in which the events really happened, has been a favourite object with critics, even from the very early ages of Chriflianity; and fince the revival of letters in Europe, the number of harmonifts has been fo great, that the enumeration of them would be tedious. Nor fhall we wonder at the attention that has been given to this fubject, when we confider how very important a history that of Chrift is, infinitely more fo than that of any other man that ever lived on the face of the earth; in comparifon with whom kings, lawgivers, or philofophers appear, as nothing.' He proceeds, in his preface, to account for the loss of the chronological order of events in the life of Chrift, and for the VOL. LVIII. H difference difference in the harmonies of the Evangelifts; and on thefe points he offers many curious and important obfervations. He totally difapproves of the notion of an univerfal and infallible infpiration of the fcripture hiftorians as writers; and he hath offered, on this part of his fubject, many confiderations, which feem to have great weight. But though he rejects the fuppofition, that these writers were incapable of relating the fame ftory with any inconfiftency in the circumftances of it, yet he admits that when the prophets or apostles worked miracles, or delivered prophecies, and other meffages from God, they muft have been inspired. Having thus attended to the Author's preface, which is of confiderable length, we proceed to his obfervations on the Harmony of the Evangelifts. Thefe obfervations are divided into feventeen fections, containing a great variety of valuable remarks, which well deferve the attention of the learned, and indeed of all who wish to obtain an accurate knowledge of the life of Chrift. Dr. P. adopts the opinion propofed by Mr. Mann, in his Differtations on the Times of the Birth and the Death of Chrift, with refpect to the Duration of Christ's miniftry; namely, that he preached no longer than one year, or one year and a few months. Several fections of the obfervations on the Harmony of the Evangelifts are employed in ftating the evidence, and producing the arguments, which fupport this hypothefis, and in vindicating it against objections. This appears to us to be a very important point, and we could with pleasure transcribe the feveral arguments by which Mr. Mann and Dr. P. have endeavoured to eftabifh it; but as this cannot be done without extending the Article to an immoderate length, we will content ourselves with laying before our Readers the conclufion of the feventeenth fection of the obfervations, which exhibits a computation of the time neceffary for the purpose of Chrift's ministry. It certainly appears, upon the whole,' faith Dr. P. that one year was abundantly fufficient for all the events recorded in the evangelical history. No perfon, reading Matthew, Mark, or Luke, could poffibly have imagined that they took up more; and every thing is perfectly easy in John, admitting the tranfpofition of one chapter, the prefent connection of which evidently fhows it to be out of its proper place; and the interpolation of the word passover before feaft of the Jews; a mistake so easy, in fome early transcriber (by taking into the text a marginal illuftration of fome perfon, who rafhly fuppofed the passover was the feast referred to) and fo much like other mistakes, that are generally fuppofed to have been made, fince thefe books came from the hands of the original writers, that a much smaller advantage, than is here propofed by it, would justify us in admitting it. In fact, other critics have admitted it for dif ferent, wonorrent. ferent, and lefs weighty reafons. There are perfons, however, who would not alter the prefent copies of the New Teftament, though they were obliged to fuppofe, that the public miniftry of Christ lafted forty years inftead of four, which is the general hypothefis. Ifhall conclude this fection with obferving, that, according to the preceding difpofition of our Lord's hiftory, we have an easy plan of his public miniftry, and obferve a pretty equal diftribution of his labours, to inftruct and convert the people of the Jews. For almoft all the former half of the year was spent in Galilee, and the latter in Judea. ⚫ Galilee is a country of about forty miles in length, lying East and Weft, and about fifteen, or in fome places twenty miles in breadth. Cana is fituated in the Western part of it, Nazareth about the center, and Capernaum in the Eaft. This part of the country was, probably, the most populous, being fituated upon the fea of Galilee, which employed a great number of fhips. Our Lord spent all the early part of his life at Nazareth; but probably was not confpicuous. He began to work miracles at Cana in the West, but prefently, leaving that place, he spent the first part of his public preaching in the more populous country about Capernaum, in the Eaft; after he had opened his commiffion, as we may fay, in Judea, and especially in the parts near Jordan, where John had borne witness of him, and pointed him out to the people. During the first weeks of his preaching in Capernaum and the neighbourhood, he was clofely attended by his difciples, who may be fuppofed not to be yet qualified to preach themselves. But before he left Galilee for that time, he removed to Nazareth, and its neighbourhood, where the people must have been in fome measure prepared to receive him; and not having much time to spend there, he sent out the twelve apoftles, two and two, to affift him in going over that part of the country, which feems to have been but thinly inhabited. After Pentecoft our Lord made a progrefs through Trachonitis, and to the utmost northern boundary of the land of Canaan, towards Tyre and Sydon. During this part of his ftay in Galilee, it is not improbable but that his difciples might affift him in preaching the gofpel, though it be not particularly mentioned. Taking his final leave of Galilee, Jefus fent out feventy difciples, to preach in the larger country of Judea. He alfo feveral times visited the country beyond Jordan; nor was Samaria by any means neglected by him. Upon the whole, all the country that was formerly poffeffed by the twelve tribes, may be fuppofed to have been pretty equally enlightened by the preaching of the gofpel, and to have enjoyed nearly equal advantages, during the courfe of our Lord's public preaching.' Some good obfervations are made by Dr. P. on the circumftances attending the refurrection of Jefus, which we will here infert as another fpecimen of the Author's manner of writing on this occafion : Much, faith he, has been written by feveral modern divines, on the harmony of the different accounts which are given by the four evangelifts, of the circumstances attending the refurrection of Jefus; and I believe it may be poffible to draw up a narrative, which hall comprize all the different accounts, and be confiftent with it. felf; but to me it is evident, that if the different writers had had exactly the fame ideas of the circumflances attending that event, they would not have written as they have done concerning it. Matthew fays (xxviil. 1, &c.) That Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went, at the break of day, to fee the fepulchre, but an angel had rolled away the ftone, and fat upon it. The angel bade them tell the difciples that Jefus was rifen from the dead and as they were making hafte to deliver that meffage, Jefus himself appeared to them, and they fell down and held him by the feet, but he bade them go and tell his difciples to meet him in Galilee. Mark fays (xvi. 1, &c.) That, at fun-rife, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, going to anoint the body of Jefus, found the fepulchre open; and going in, faw a young man fitting on the right hand, who told them that Jefus was rifen, and bade them tell his difciples to meet him in Galilee. Afterwards this Evangelift informs us that Jefus, having rifen early in the morning, appeared first to Mary Magdalene, who went and informed the difciples, but was not believed by them. Luke fays (xxiv. 1, &c.) That many women who had followed Jefus from Galilee, and others with them, going with fpices, found the ftone rolled away, and going into the fepulchre found not the body of Jefus; and that while they were in doubt, two men ftood by them, who faid that he was rifen; and that they went and told the difciples, who did not believe them; but that Peter ran to the sepulchre, and feeing the grave cloaths, wondered very much., John, who is the most circumftantial in his relation, fays, (xx. 1, &c.) That while it was yet dark, Mary Magdalene went to away, ran to inform the fepulchre; and upon feeing the stone agdalene went to Peter and John. Upon this, thefe two difciples ran to the place, and finding the cloaths only, returned; but that Mary, who flood without, and wept, on looking into the fepulchre, faw two angels, fitting one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body had lain; and while fhe was afking them concerning the body, Jefus himself appeared to her, and bade her go and tell his difciples that. he was rifen. To me it appears not very easy to fuppofe that these different accounts were written by perfons who had precifely the fame ideas of the events, and of the order of them; but the variations are' fuch, that it is not worth the while of any friend of Chriftianity to take pains to reconcile them. After confidering and comparing all thefe accounts, my own ideas of the affair are as follow. The ftone was rolled away from the fepulchre, Jefus rofe, and the guard were difperfed, fome time before day-break. Prefently after, the women came with their fpices, intending to embalm the body; but recollecting that the stone was too large for them to remove, they were at a lofs what to do; when they were furprized to |