(2) The apofles locked after Jefus with lively fentiments. Βούλει μαθειν, ότι και μέλλοντες δραναν τον αναβαίνοντα, έχαιρον και εσκίρτων, ακουσον τε χρισ8 λέγοντος, οτι ανεβαινον και κα τεβαινον συνεχως. τουτο δε επιθυμούντων εσιν ιδειν το παραδοξον θεαμα. και ποθεν δηλον, οτι ανεβαινον και κατεβαινον; αυτου ακουσον λεγοντος· Απαρτι οψεσθε τους ουρανός ανεωγμένους, και τις αγελως τε θεου ανα βαίνοντας και καταβαινοντας επι τον υιόν τε άνθρωπε τοιουτον γαρ των ερώντων το έθος ουδέ τον καιρον αναμένουσιν, αλλα προλαμβάνεσι την θεσμιαν τη ήδονη, δια τετο και ταβαίνεσιν επειγομενοι το καινον και παράδοξον εκείνο ιδείν θεαμα, ανθρωπον εν ουρανω φανεντά δια τατο πανταχου αγΓελοι, και ΟΤΕ ετίκτετο, και ΟΤΕ ανίσατο, και σημερον οτε ανέβη

προ

ιδού γαρ δυο (φησιν) εν εσθητε λαμπρα δια του σχήματος την ήδονην δηλούντες. &c. John i. 51. Αl. i. 1o. Chryfoft. orati in afcenfionem D. N. I. C. tom. v. orat. 87.

Interpreters have been greatly embarrafed in reconciling what S. Luke fays xxiv. 50. Jefus led his difci(with what the fame S. Luke ples out as far as to Bethany, fays, Alt, i. 12. The apofles returned from mount Olivet. But Olivet, fays Mr. De Beaufobre, was fituated between Bethphage and Bethany, and our Lord afcended from that part of the mountain, which lay next Bethany, fo that there is no contradic

tion in the Evangelift's acfame place. counts, for they mean the See Selden de jur. Nat. et Gent. and Bafnage Annal. Polit. Eccl.

VoL. II.

Τ

XIII.

(3) Obferve confequences. By this method Silvanus, an ancient abbot of a monaftery, convinced a travelling monk of his erroneous notions of two paffages of holy fcripture. The story is this. σε Παρέβαλε τις αθελφος τω A66a Zinovava, &c. A certain brother came to the convent at mount Sinai, and, finding the monks all at work, fhook his head, and faid to the abbot, Labour not for the meat, that perisheth. [John vi. 27.] Mary chofe the good part. [Luke x. 42.] Zachary, faid the old abbot to his fervant, give the brother a book, and thew him into a cell. There fat the monk alone all day long. At night, wondering that nobody had called him to dinner, he goes to the abbot. Father, fays he, don't the brethren eat to day? O yes, replied the abbot, they have eaten plentifully. And why, added the monk, did you not call me? Becaufe, brother, replied the abbot, you are a fpiritual man, and have no need of carnal food. For our parts, God help us! we are carnal, we are obliged to

eat, and therefore we work: but you, brother! you have chofen the good part, you fit and read all day long, and are above the want of meat, that perisheth. Pardon me, father, I perceive my mistake. I do, fubjoined the old man: but remember, Martha is as neceffary a chriftian as Mary." Apotheg. patrum, in Cotelerii Ecclefiæ Græca mo

nument. tom.i.

Reafoning by illation, induction, and confequences, is a fair method of arguing: but it requires the utmoft caution to reafon accurately in this way. All inferences have fome evidence, or no evidence, fome probability, or no probability, a flight prefumption, or a clear de monftration according to the falfehood, inanity, probability, or certainty of all the premises, from which they are drawn. Thus an infe rence drawn from many prefumptive premises may have a high degree of moral certainty, the inference containing in one aggregate fum all the evidence of the prefumptive premifes, from which it is drawn, put to

gether.

gether. Inference thus refembles the income of a lord of a manor; for his fortune is the aggregate of many fmall farms and quit-rents paid by a great number of poor copyholders, and tenants; or, it refembles the clear call of a minifter to the paftoral office made up of a large majority of feparate

votes.

"Probable evidence, fays one of our best reafoning divines, is effentially diftinguished from demonftrative by this, that it admits of degrees; and of all variety of them, from the highest moral certainty to the very lowest prefumption

That

the flighteft poffible prefumption is of the nature of a probability, appears from hence; that fuch low prefumption often repeated will amount even to moral certainty In questions of difficulty, or fuch as are thought fo, where more fatisfactory evidence cannot be had, or is not feen; if the refult of examination be, that there appears upon the whole, any the loweft prefumption on one fide, and none on the other, or a greater prefumption on one fide, though in the loweft degree greater; this determines the question, even in matters of fpeculation, and, in matters of practice, will lay us

under an abfolute and formal obligation, in point of prudence and of intereft, to act upon that prefumption or low probability, though it be fo low as to leave the mind in very great doubt which is the truth." Bp. Butler's Analogy, Introduction.

Dr. Watts gives an example of inductive reafoning.

"The doctrine of the Socinians cannot be proved from the gospels, it cannot be proved from the Acts of the apofties, it cannot be proved from the epiftles, nor the book of revelations, therefore it cannot be proved from the new teftament." The Socinians deny the conclufion by difputing the premifes. The Dr. adds, "This fort of argument is often defective, because there is not due care taken to enumerate all the particulars on which the conclufion fhould depend," and, may we not add, because the particulars enumerated are not fufficiently ascertained? Logick, iii. 2, 7.

Here are three remarkable modern inftances, mentioned in a book now before me, which the learned author did me the honour of fending as a prefent (a most valuable one it is) a few days ago. "The fubverfion of freedom was the evident purpofe of Mr. Hume in writing the history of Eng

T 2

land.

land. I fear we may with too much justice affirm the fubverfion of christianity to be the object of Mr. Gibbon in writing the biftory of the decline and fall of the Roman empire. Mr. Lindfey affirms, that the fathers of the first three centuries, and confequently all chriftian people for upward of three hundred years after Chrift till the council of Nice, were generally unitarians." Thefe are bold attempts. By what means do thefe gentlemen intend to eftablish their thefes, and effect their ends? A little fubverfion does all. Inftead of beginning by afcertaining facts, and then proceeding to deduce fair inferences, begin by affuming an inference, and then accommodate facts to your affumption, and your work will be done. Hear Our excellent author. Whatever occurs in the ancient writers of history of a ipeculative nature, we find to be an inference from a fact stated. without any feeming view to the deduction, but to the unadulterated reprefentation of which the hiftorian appears to have religiously attended. Whatever occurs in modern writers of history of a narrative nature, we find to be an inference from a fyftem previously affumed,

bounty

without any feeming view to the truth of the facts recorded, but to the establishment of which the hiftorian appears, through every species of mifreprefentation, to have zealously directed his force." This is a golden remark, and of infinite ufe in theological controverfy, as the writer of this decifive refutation of Mr. Lindfey has moft fully fhewn. Inquiry into the belief of the Chriftians of the first three Centuries, refpecting the one Godhead of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft. By William Burgh, Efq.

Natural confequences are very beautiful. John viii. 14. Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true. -42., If God were your father, ye would love me.—46. If I fay the truth, why do ye not believe me ?-ix. 16. How can a man, that is a finner, do fuch miracles?-33. IF tris man were not of God, he could do nothing--Heb. ii. 2, 3. If the word Spoken by angels was fleifast, and every tranfgreffion received a just reward, how fhall we escape, if we neglect a falvation Spoken by the Lord, &c. &c.

"If true religion lie much in the affections, fuch means are to be defired as have much of a tendency to move the affections. Such books, and fuch a way of preaching

the