avow fuch opinions with the fond attachment of innovation, but alfo diffeminate them with most active zeal, fhould be conti nued in thofe very stations, which afford most frequent and most extenfive opportunities, to fpread them with all the weight of inAuence and authority.And next, as to the right of difmiffion, it is obvious, that the fame power which appoints to offices, must neceffarily remove from them; both are exercises of that plain difcretionary truft neceffarily repofed in all governments, to the end that every delegation of their authority may be lodged in fuch bands as fhall feem best affected to those who employ them.-Nor is this preventive policy of guarding against diffaffection lefs congenial with the fpirit of our conftitution.The prerogative of appointment to offices was originally unli mited; but, at the Refloration, the parliament most expressly declared the neceffity of guarding with jealous vigilance against the introduction of thofe perfons into places of power and truft, whofe opinions and prejudices rendered them dangerous fervants for the ftate to employ.

Hence the corporation and teft acts; which (though at first they may feem rather formed to guard the mitre than the crown) were in fact more really directed against the civil than the religious principles of the diffenters.

The difabling ftatutes very clearly prove two points, both of which are material to this question.

First, that it is perfectly conftitutional to exercife the prerogative of appointment to offices, with a ftrict and cautious attention to the principles of thofe who are to be employed in them; and next, that in every other inftance, except in thefe ftatutable difqualifications, this prerogative is entirely unlimited, and aby folutely difcretionary; for it is plain, that the very reftriction in thofe excepted cafes, virtually jeftablishes its independance in every other. But fo anxious were the Restoration parliament to remove all poffibility of any future encroachment on the difcretionary prerogative of militia appointments, that an act was unanimously paffed, expreffive of the national abhorrence of that recent ufurpation of them, which had fatally given arms to innovation, and overturned the conflitution, under the fpecious pretence of amending it.

By the fame act alfo, it was directly declared, that thofe very appointments had ever been, and for ever should continue, the unalienable and uncontroulable right of the crown,

Such then being both the letter and the spirit of the law on this point, it is but mere matter of curiosity, to confider the plain principles on which this power is founded, both in natural and civil fociety.

In the former, though all men were originally on an equality, yet the diftinction of abilities fet the firft bounds.-It re quired wisdom and courage for council and arms-and it was neceffary of courfe to exclude from each, fuch as were respec sively deficient in either,

So far forth therefore there was a natural limitation.-But in civil fociety it is equally important, in all delegations of power, to connect affection to the government, with the other leading qualifications; for (as has been too often proved) a courageous man, who hates his employers, is at least as unfit to be trufted as a cowards and wisdom, connected with enmity, would only ferve to aggravate treachery in council.-The plain confequence of which is this; that either no government has a right to preserve itself against the diffaffection of a fubject; or else that every government has a right to exclude from offices of power and truft, fuch as render themselves fufpected of difaffection.'

In the fucceeding page we meet with a curious specimen of Converfation Politics, and an Equivocal Answer by a Trimmer; which are followed by the Praise of Party, and a correfponding answer.

The author next expatiates, in the declamatory style of oppofition, on the Laft Campaign, and General State of the Nation; but after giving the fulleft fcope to the defcription of the public distress, he turns the tables, and presents us with a more juft, as well as animating prospect of national affairs.

Under the head of Mifcellaneous Eloquence, or CollateralRhetoric for the Gallery, the author rallies the practice of some members of parliament, of endeavouring to conciliate the favour of fuch auditors as are brought thither by curiofity. As many of our readers may be able, from experience, to judge of the description which the author gives of the exertions on fuch an occafion, we fhall lay before them the following paffage::

In general then, as the mode of exercising this mifcellane-" ous eloquence with most ease and efficacy; it may be fairly laiddown, that all eminent and projecting fentences; all pointed, and epigrammatic quibbles; all metaphorical menaces; violent tropes; forced figures; and glaring ornaments; are well calculated to roufe the attention, and hitch upon the memory, the gallery.

of

Thefe, like the emphafis of Italics in printing, fummon the too negligent and careless mind, to pay a proper attention to many choice and curious researches, intimately connected with the other matter; but which might otherwife perish from their refinement, or irretrievably flip bye unnoticed.

But one of the more certain and fecure refources of mifcellaneous rhetoric (and which I prefer mentioning, from its double illuftration of precept and example,) is that conciliating respect which fome popular orators more directly pay the gallery; in downright acknowledgment of the "refpectable appearance" of its company, on "important occafions."

This condescending recognition (as it well deferves indeed) generally meets with a proper return; and it is pleafing to ob A a 4

ferve,

ferve, how wonderfully attentive the whole body of ftrangers become, at the first mention of this general respectability.—On fome late occafions, this idea has been carried fomewhat too far for there have not been wanting certain popular orators, who politely with-held their arguments, after each divifion, and avowedly fiopt all bufinéfs, till the re-admiffion of the audience.

This however, though uncommonly handsome, is dan... · gerous; as it may give a handle to fome moody, malignant mutes, for the absolute exclusion of all interlopers on debate.But it will always be good to prepare, and fcatter, as occafion offers, fome promifcuous panegyrics, of nearly the fame, though not abfolutely fo direct a tendency-for example-That" in a conftitution like ours, every thinking man has a natural interest in public debate, which it is tyrannical to abridge or violate."Or, that "it becomes all wife and cautious conftituents to hear, in order to judge of their representatives !"-Or again, that "it is no fmall confolation, in the present awful crifis, to find a general diffufion of public vigilance and anxiety diffeminated among all ranks and orders of men, and more, particularly in the prefent numerous and refpectable appearance! !"

Thefe, and all others of the fame kind, properly accompanied by fubmiffive tones, modulated breaks in the voice, and collateral attitudes of refpectful inclination towards the gallery, fcarcely ever fail of awakening the grateful attention, and fometimes, dormant curiofity of the frangers: efpecially at fuch times, as they have painfully and patriotically perfevered, to combat both fatigue and appetite, in hourly expectation of collecting fome scattered fcraps of mutilated eloquence, for their own private or domeftic confumption at the Lyceum, or Belle Affemblée.

But, in this fpecies of mifcellaneous eloquence, the effect is comparatively weak and contemptible, confidered with others. that are founded upon the fame principle.

Thofe already mentioned, can only be fcattered occafionally, in the exordiums, and fome epifodical parts of an oration.-The latter, and more efficient clafs, muft take their station in the peroration, and declamatory clofe of prolix fpeeches; as a corps de referve, to fupport and reinforce the main body of argument, after the harder fervice of the day.-Thefe ought chiefly to confift of fome very new and deep theory; abftract and metaphyfical; and calculated to give an idea of the originality, extent, and boldness of its author's mind; which, by connecting fo many ingredients of fublimity, tends to infpire a fort of awe for fuch pre-emine. ce of genius, and to create a confused notion that this inventive wildnefs, if it could but be applied to the more ferious bufinefs of politics, would, with equal brilliancy, ftrike out fresh syftems of calculation, explore new fources of finance, and produce unheard of wonders and revolutions, in all the complicated concerns of political enterprize.'

The

The laft fubject of the author's confideration, is the hacknied theme of oppofition, Change the Miniftry, which is alfo accompanied with an Anfwer.

There are many good strokes of fatire, as by these extracts our readers will eafily perceive, in this performance. The merit of it will, notwithstanding, be in a great measure obfcured, and, most probably, the natural effect which it might have, in part fruftrated, by the opinion which every impartial reader must entertain: that it was apparently compofed by the writer, whoever he is, not as the genuine effect of his own feelings, or the refult of his own judgment, but merely in compliance with the requeft of his particular friends.

The Hiflorie of the Heretics of the two firft Centuries after Chrift: con taining an Account of their Time, Opinions, and Teftimony to the Book of the New Teftament. To which are prefixed, general Obfervations concerning Heretics. Published from the Manuscript of the late reverend and learned Nathaniel Lardner, D. D. With large Additions, by John Hogg. 4to. 185. boards. Johnfon.

THI

HIS work is part of that scheme which the learned Dr. Lardner formerly planned, in order to give a full and comprehensive view of the credibility of the gospel-history. The world has been long in poffeffion of the greater number of those treatises, which were intended to complete it: comprehending the teftimonies of the occafional facts mentioned in the New Teftament; the teftimonies of Chriftian writers to the books of the New Teftament; and the teftimonies of Jews and Heathens to the books and principal facts. The remaining part, as the doctor himself informs us *, was intended to contain the teftimonies of Chriftian writers to the principal facts of the New Teftament; and alfo the hiftory of the heretics of the first centuries, ?

This hiftory is now laid before the public. It was chiefly drawn up by the doctor himself, and lay by him feveral years. Some parts of it were completely fitted for the prefs, having received his laft corrections. In other parts, only a few hints were written, which, the editor tells us, he has endeavoured to follow with fidelity and exactnefs. He has made, he says, many additions, and fome confiderable ones, under the articles of Bafilides, Marcion, Leucius, Elcefaites, &c. but he affures us, that they are all founded either on hints or references in

• Pref, to Cred. part 2. vol. xii. p. 5.

the

the doctor's papers, or on paffages of thofe very authors which he frequently quotes in this and other parts of his Credibility.,

This work is divided into two books, the first confifts of general obfervations concerning heretics: the fecond contains the hiftories of particular heretics, viz. Saturninus, Bafilides,, Carpocrates, Cerinthus, Prodicus, the Adamians or Adamites,. Marc and his followers the Marcòfians, Heracleon, Cerdon, Marcion, Lucian or Leucius, Apelles, the Sethians, the Cainites, the Ophites, Artemon, Theodotus, Hermogenes, the Montanifts, Praxeas, Julius Caffianus, the Helcefaites or Offens, and the Alogians.

In the first fection the author thus endeavours to afcertain the meaning of the word berefy.

Herefy, in Greek, fignifies election or choice, and is used for any opinion, which a man chooseth, as beft, or most probable.

Herefy, and heretic, are often used by ancient writers, as words of indifferent meaning. And the feveral ways of philofophizing were called fects or herefies.

• Inftances of the innocent meaning of the word herefy occur in the New Testament, Acts v. 17. “Then the High-priest rose up, and all they that were with him, which is the fect of the Sadducees." ch. xv. 5. "Then rose up certain of the fect of the Pharifees, which believed." xxvi. 5. "After the ftrictest fect of our religion I lived a Pharifee."

Jofephus, in like manner, fpeaking of the Pharifees, Sadducees, and Effens, calls them fects or herefies, without any mark of cenfure. They were the feveral ways of philofophizing among the Jews.

In feveral places of the Epiftles of the New Teftament, as 1 Cor. xi. 19. Gal. v. 20. 2 Pet. ii. 1. Tit. ii, 10. the words herefy and heretic, are used in a bad fenfe. Nor is it, I apprehend, void of reproach in Acts xxiv. 5. where Tertullus, the orator, pleading before Felix, fays of Paul: "We have found this man a peftilent fellow, . . . and a ringleader of the fect of the Nazarens." Nor does the meaning appear quite innocent in Acts xxviii. 22. "As concerning this fect we know, that it is every where spoken againft.” Nor in chap. xxiv 14. "But this I confefs unto thee, that after the way, which they call herefy, fo worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things, which are written in the law and the prophets." Where the Apoftie honeftly owns before Felix, that he was a Chriftian, or of that way, which most of the Jewish people call herefy, or a fect, a new fect or herefy. At the fame time he intimates, (though without being very folicitous to avoid the imputation) that the fcheme and principles, profeffed and taught by him, was fo agreeable to the law and the prophets, that there hardly was fufficient reafon to call it herefy, or to reckon the followers of it a new and diftinct fect.

Among Chriftians thefe words are very frequently taken in a bad fenfe. The reafon of which feems to lie in what Tertullian fays, with a view to the primary meaning of the word heresy, viz. a chofen opinion and doctrine: that there fhould be no herefies among Chriftians, and that a heretic forfeits the character of a Christian: førasmuch as there is nothing left to their invention. They ought

all