h g Calmet, Tillemont, Le Clerc, Lenfant and Beaufobre, the Abbè de St. Real, and Bailey, are recitals, paraphrases, or abridgements, of the four gofpels; and they furnish explications of the text, fometimes interwoven with the narration, and fometimes fubjoined in notes. i Stackhouse's Hiftory of the Bible contains a copious and ufeful life of Chrift, with differtations, notes, and replies to objections. k Dr. Benfon's Life of Chrift confifts of difcourfes, or differtations, on important fubjects, or difficult paffages, in the gospels: but death prevented the laborious, learned and judicious author from perfecting his comprehenfive defign. There is an excellent remark in the introduction to this 1 c Prefixed to his Commentary on the Gospels. d Hiftoire Ecclefiaftique. tome prem. 12°. 1706. Bruxelles. e Hiftoria Ecclefiaftica. 4°. Amft. 1716. f Abregè de l'Hiftoire Evangelique: prefixed to their New Teftament with notes: 2 vol. 4o. Amft. 1718. g Oeuvres. tome fec. A Paris. 1730. The Life of Jefus, as collected by Caleb Bailey, Esq. 1732. The narration is a compound text of the four evangelifts, in the words of the English version. i London. 2 vol. fol. 1752. * London. 4o. 1764. Printed for Waugh. I Page 2. work; work; "that if the feveral hints of things of the like kind [which occur in the gospels] be faithfully collected together, and confidered in one view, they give such a light and luftre to one another, as to make the life of Chrift appear to amazing advantage." This author's method, of reducing under diftinct heads detached and fimilar circumstances in our Lord's history, is like collecting scattered rays to a luminous and forcible point. The first intimation of pursuing it was given, I think, by Sir Ifaac Newton in his Obfervations on Daniel where he well "illuftrates the manner in which our Lord borrowed his images and language from prefent objects. Doctor Benfon has extended it to several other particulars. It has been carried fomewhat further in the fubfequent work; which I am confcious will alfo be found a defective attempt, both in general heads and inductions of particulars: for the plain and concise gospels are full of deep and curious matter, not to be exhausted by the industry and attention of ages. n In Bishop Law's "Reflections on the Life and Character of Chrift" there is a Note: p. 148. n Confiderations on the Theory of feries Religion, &c. Cambridge. 1765. ed. 5. 8vo. A 4 feries of excellent obfervations comprised in a narrow compass; and references are made to various authors who have enlarged on many topics which are only pointed out by this eminent writer. Doctor Craig proposes" to give a single and connected view of Chrift's whole character at once;" and " chiefly to confider thofe events in the hiftory of the gospel by which he bore witnefs of himself, and manifested the peculiar dignity of his character." He premises "a fhort account of thofe extraordinary interpofitions of Providence by which his heavenly Father bore witness of him." This is a concife, elegant and able performance. P Doctor Hunter profeffes "not to make the meaning of words, or of difficult paffages, the fubject of inquiry." His agreeable and inftructive work is adapted to all capacities; and methodically comprehends many ingenious and interefting remarks. • See the preface to an Effay on the Life of Jesus Christ. Glasgow. 1769. 12°. P Observations on the Hiftory of Jefus Chrift, &c. Edinburgh. 1770. 2 vol. 12o. Doctor 9 Doctor Harwood wrote his "Delineation of the Life and Character of Jefus Chrift" "with an exprefs defign to promote the interefts of practical religion;" and "profeffedly calculated it for the use of masters and miftreffes of families, and for the benefit of young perfons." This treatife is recommended by a judicious felection of subjects, a ftrain of piety, a warmth of imagination, and a copiousness of style. It would be tedious to mention the many detached difcourfes which coincide with my general defign. But I cannot omit' Bishop Bradford's, Archbishop Archbishop Tillotson's, and Doctor James Fofter's, fermons on the example of Christ. A diligent attention to our Lord's difcourfes and actions has been highly fatisfactory and delightful to me. The life of Jefus is 9 Preface : P. vi. London. 1772. 8vo. Printed for T. Becket. There is a History of Jefus, by William Smith, M. A. 12o. London. 1703. I have not seen it; but I am affured that it contains useful matter, and hiftorical knowledge; though it is not uniformly judicious. There is alfo extant a Life of Jefus Chrift, and the Lives of the Twelve Apostles: fol. Lond. 1738. This is a voluminous compilation, containing 875 pages: and the anonymous author defigned it both for a harmony of the gospels and a commentary. г Boyle's Lectures: fol. 1, 481, &c. a moft cannot be But in the a most instructive, a most interesting, and a most important fubject. The Deity, when we contemplate his difcoveries of himfelf in the works of creation, fufficiently admired and adored. gofpels we see him, as it were, face to face; we seem to converfe with him, as a man with his friend; and we behold his perfections as vividly represented in the person of Jefus Chrift as the limited capacity of human nature admits. It is my earnest wish and prayer that, by a more general cultivation of biblical criticifm, the lovers of the fcriptures may better understand and more deeply admire them; and that those who neglect a due examination of them, or who deny their authority, may be convinced of their importance, and may discover the fignatures of truth ftampt on them. My ardent love and admiration of thefe divine writings lead me to conclude, that they cannot be seriously and carefully read without pleasure and conviction. I lament that they are impiously interdicted to a large body of Chriftians; that they are fo much difregarded, and of course misunderftood, by the bulk of Proteftants among ourselves; that many of our clergy, unmind ful |