his apostles, and on the fupport which they gave to the christian religion. By the trustees of this noble donation of the chriftian philofopher, Dr. Newton, afterwards bishop of Bristol, who had already published a volume of "Differtations on the Prophecies," was encouraged to proceed in his interefting and important investigations as to their defign and accomplishment. He was invited to preach Mr. Boyle's lecture: this teftimony of approbation be ftowed on his former work afforded an occafion, and acted as a stimulus to animate him, to pursue this particular study. The refult was the publication of two more volumes of "Differtations on the Pro"phecies which have remarkably been fulfilled, and "at this time are fulfilling in the world;" 1758. At the first impreffion 1250 copies were printed, and a thousand at every edition to the fixth in 1782. The work met with a very favourable reception abroad, and was tranflated into the Danish and German languages; and is ftill popular. In 1739, the discourses which had been delivered previously to that date at Mr. Boyle's lecture were republished in a collected form in three volumes folio. In 1737. the Rev. Gilbert Burnet had given to the public a judicious, comprehensive, and well-digefted abridge ment of the fermons of those who had preached it before that time. This abridgement comprehends the discourses of Bentley, Kidder, Williams, Gastrel, Harris, Bradford, Blackhall, Stanhope, Clarke, • Difney's Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Dr. Jortin, p. 54. Bishop Newton's Pofthumous Works, Life, p. 73, 4.

Hancock, Whiston, Turner, Butler, Woodward, Derham, Ibbot, Long, J. Clarke, Gurdon, Burnet, and Berriman. This work was tranflated into the French and German languages; at once a proof of the celebrity of the inftitution, a testimony of its merit, and the means of extending its influence. Some of the subjects difcuffed in these discourses have been already fpecified. As to the other fermons, thofe of Bishop Kidder bore the title of "A "Demonstration of the Meffiah." Thofe of Bishop Williams exhibited "a general Idea of Revealed "Religion." "The Certainty and Neceffity of "Divine Religion" in general was argued by Bishop Gaftrell. Dr. Harris confidered and refuted the objections of atheists to the existence and attributes of GOD. The credibility of the christian religion was stated by Bishop Bradford. The fufficiency and perfection of the revelation of the Old and New Testament were represented by Bishop Blackhall. Dr. Stanhope defended the truth and excellence of the chriftian religion against Jews, infidels, and heretics. The general plan of natural and revealed religion was the fubject treated by Dr. Hancock. Mr. Whifton confined himself to the accomplishment of the prophecies of fcripture. Dr. Turner fhewed the wifdom of GoD in the redemption of the human race. Dr. John Butler, prebendary of Canterbury, chofe for his topic "Religion no matter of fhame or injury." The heavenly origin and incomparable excellence of the chriftian religion was fet forth by Dr. Woodward. The defign

of Bishop Leng was to prove the natural obligation to believe in the principles of religion and of divine revelation. Mr. Gurdon, the archdeacon of Sudbury, aimed to prove that the difficulties which men found in natural and revealed religion formed no excufe for infidelity. Dr. Thos. Burnet, rector of West Kington, Wilts, and prebendary of Sarum, entitled his fermons "a Demonftration of the True Religion." Dr. William Berriman selected for his fubject the gradual revelation of the gofpel. This abridgement of the Boylean lectures was accompanied with a full and well-arranged table of contents.* To the names of those divines already mentioned, who fince these publications have kept up the reputation and perpetuated the usefulness of this inftitution, should be added, Dr. Leonard Twells, Dr. Robert Warren, Dr. Ralph Heathcote, Dr. William Worthington, and Dr. Henry Owen. "In general," it has been judiciously obferved, "that though among fuch a "number of writers, their reafoning will not in every respect and on every fubject be alike im

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portant and convincing, the fermons at Boyle's "lecture have done eminent fervice to the cause of "natural and revealed religion, and constitute a "fyftem of evidence which no fubtlety or fophiftry "can overturn." It is alfo a pleafing and animating reflection, which offers itself on the history of useful and philanthropic inftitutions, fuch as that of Mr. Boyle's foundation, that when a man pro** Bibliotheque Raisonnée, tom. xix. p. 449.

Dr. Kippis in Biog. Brit. article Boyle, p. 515.

vides for the execution of fuch a defign, the good effects of it, both as to duration and extent, will very probably reach much beyond any calculation of its influence which he could make when he formed his plan.

We cannot conclude this chapter on useful inftitutions, without making honourable and particular mention of one clergyman, to whom the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge owed peculiar obligations. The divine here meant was the Rev. Dr. Thomas Bray; who was born in 1656, at Marton in Shropshire, and entered of Hertford college, Oxford. He was first, after taking orders, curate near Bridgenorth in Shropshire; he had afterwards the donative of Lac-Marfin in Warwickshire, the grant of Sir Thomas Price, of Park hall; his next preferment was the vicarage of Over-Whitacre, given to him by Lord Digby; who, in 1693, presented him to the rectory of Sheldon, both in the fame county: this preferment he held till about a quarter of a year before his death, when he refigned it on the grounds of his advanced age, and the known worth and abilities of his appointed fucceffor. He was alfo minister of Aldgate in London. This benevolent man, whofe life was a series of public-fpirited and generous exertions, in 1697, on the failure of his defigns and endeavours to procure a publick fund to be established for the propagation of the gofpel in foreign parts, formed a defign of having a proteftant congregation, pro fide propaganda, by charters from the king. The circumstances of the

times not favouring this intention, he laid it afide. But to prepare the way for a charter-fociety, he endeavoured to find out worthy perfons difpofed to form a voluntary fociety to propagate christian knowledge at home and abroad. He communicated his views and scheme to Dr. Henry Compton, bishop of London, in 1697; and a fociety was formed on his plan, of which we have given an account: and the event was, as we have feen, when their numbers increased, and new benefactions improved their finances, the erection of a corporation under his Majesty's letters patent, May 5, 1701, for the pro. pagation of the gospel in foreign parts: fo important, fo extensively useful, often are the benevolent schemes and exertions of one individual. "Charity "to the fouls of men," it is faid by his biographer,

was wrought up to the highest pitch in his own. "foul." Most of the religious focieties and good defigns in London, at that period, owe great acknowledgements to the memory of Dr. Bray, and were in a great measure formed on the plans which he projected. These benevolent undertakings furnished a fource of confolatory reflections and of joyful prefages in his last minutes. He died on the 15th of February, 1730, in the 73d year of his age.