and diversifying experiments; such especially as relate to the analysis of the air. Yet, so far as we can see for ourselves, and have learned from the sentiments of others, he is by no means so happy in explaining his experiments as in performing them; and in philosophy is found to fluctuate in his principles, as much as he does in divinity and politics. The thing is taken different ways. Some, from an admiration of his philosophical abilities, become infected with his religious errors while others, shocked by the impiety of the latter, become jealous of philosophy altogether, and think the study dangerous; because it is so frequently observed, that philosophy deceives itself, and becomes too proud to be a christian. If the philosophy of Dr. Priestley should have tempted him to blasphemy, he would have been a better man without it; and the time may come, when even he himself will wish there had been no such thing upon earth. The extreme weakness and want of sense in churchmen, are very favourite topics with him; our clergy are universally bigotted and superstitious, or hypocritical and hardened, for professing with the church, and believing with Dr. Priestley so they are all contemptible for the one reason or the other; and he accordingly,

while he claims the merit of great candour, abuses them at his will in his publications. Several years ago, he promised himself so much success from the effect of philosophy in overturning our establishment, that the clergy, he thought, had reason to tremble for the fate of their hierarchy at the sight of an air-pump: though the hierarchy has nothing more to fear from a philosophical apparatus in proper hands, than Dr. Priestley's meeting-house from a bladder of inflammable air. Strange effects do sometimes follow from unexpected causes. Dr. Franklin, who lighted up that fire in America, which has now extended with increased fury to France, derived much of his influence from the fame he had acquired in philosophy. We hope his brother Doctor, who is neither so useful a philosopher, nor so clear a writer, will not succeed so well in separating the people of England from their government, as his predecessor did in separating the colonies from the mother country. But he makes a dangerous use of philosophy, when he suggests to young people in our universities, that they should refuse to receive divinity otherwise than as they receive philosophy *

And

* See his Letters to them, p. 45.

And how is that? Do not they receive philosophy on the authority of man, and the evidence of experiment? Whereas we receive divinity on the authority of God, and the evidence of Faith; which, as the apostle teaches, is the evidence of things not seen; and things not seen cannot have the evidence of experiment. If young men proceed as he advises, they will miscarry as he has done: we would therefore warn them to beware of what he has insinuated upon this subject; there being a little too much of the fox in it for them to discover, till they are better informed. What are the present incendiaries of France, but a gang of philosophical felons: who, because they could not receive divinity as they received philosophy, have astonished the world with such a scene of absurdity, rapine, murder, and sacrilege, as is not to be found in the annals of man? It seems as if the providence of God intended to show the world, by their example, to what a deplorable degree of depravity the nature of man may sink, when it despises the lights of religion. As philosophers, they began with a sovereign contempt for all mankind but themselves, as poor low creatures of a different species: and what is the consequence of their pride? they themselves are fallen.

below

below the nature of man, and are become a spectacle of inhumanity to the world: but they are greatly admired by Dr. Priestley. The science of philosophy is pleasant, and may be very improving to the mind: but what will a man gain, if he should take philosophy in exchange for his soul? Of this danger Dr. Purkis gave very proper and seasonable warning from an university pulpit. But our author objects to his application of St. Paul's admonition to beware of philosophy, because, says he, the philosophy intended by the apostle was that of the Gnostics; which having long been out of date, no danger is now to be apprehended from it. But in this he asserts what the text will not warrant. Paul speaks of a philosophy * Καλα τα στοιχεία τα xosμ according to the elements of the world; concerning

St.

* Dr. Pristley has instructed us, that the Apostle here alludes to the philosophy of the Gnostics. But in this, we have an instance of that rashness of judgment, and want of due discrimination, with which he forms his opinions. The name of Philosophy was first assumed by Pythagoras as a student of nature; and Cicero from Pythagoras applies the term to those, Qui rerum naturam studiose intuerentur; Tuscal. v 3. Therefore philosophy in its original sense is natural philosophy; and the philosophers who gave St. Paul a surfeit of their wisdom at Athens, were Epicureans and Stoics. It

does

1

cerning which elements, philosophers of all ages have had variety of traditions, and were, as they are now, for ever wrangling and disputing. If this be the sense of oxa, (as the margin gives it) natural philosophy is particularly specified and if it be not, that kind of philosophy must be included; because we are bid to beware of all but that which is after Christ: and the philosophy in which Dr. Priestley has distinguished himself, will certainly not come under

that

does not appear that the word philosophy is ever ascribed to any thing in the Scripture but to what the Heathens taught. The false teachers who infested the Christian Church, were not called Philosophers, but Heretics and Sectaries; and their teaching was not called philosophy, but διδαχη Νικολαιτων ; 25 in the Revelation of St. John.

As for the Gnostics in particular, they first began to be distinguished about a hundred and thirty years after the death. of our Saviour; and could not be alluded to by St. Pau!. So the Doctor is every way wrong: and is himself an instance, that the admonition to beware of what then was, and now is, called Philosophy, may be seasonably urged at this time: he having denied the separate existence of the human soul on the ground of certain speculations in natural philosophy, which admit of no proof. And it was foreseen and foretold in the last century, that those speculations (being of the Epicurean school) would lead Christians to Materialism; which is philosophical Atheism. Vanini, who suffered as an Atheist, does not appear to have been guilty of any other.