se he makes of his leisure hours: and a full answer it is to all the objections urged by his Lordship, who, eating the bread of the Church, did lift up his heel against her. Besides a compleat confutation of the writer of the essay, in this tract, mahy curious and interesting questions are discussed, and several articles in the religion and learning of heathen antiquity explained; particularly the Hermetic, Pythagorean, and Platonic Trinities.

In 1754, he married Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Brook Bridges, and went to reside at Wadenhoe in Northamptonshire, as Curate to his brother-in-law, the Rev. Brook Bridges, a gentleman of sound learning, singular piety, and amiable manners. She was an help-meet for him, and might have sat for the picture drawn by Bishop Horne, as extracted from the 30th chapter of Proverbs, in his sermon on the female character; the very reverse of Mrs. Churchman's daughter, who fell to the lot of Richard Hooker, whose conditions, as honest Izaak Walton observes in the life, were similar to that wife's, which is by Solomon compared to a dripping house. Like Zacharias and Elizabeth, this happy couple "were righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless;" he, in the care of the parish, writing, as nearly as the difference of times would admit, after the copy given by the divine Herbert in the Country Parson, and she cooperating with him in all his designs for the good of the people committed to his charge.

Here he drew up The Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity, which he had kept in his thoughts for some years, and to which he had a particular attention as often as the Scriptures, either of the Old or New Testament, were before him. It is an invaluable work, and admirably calculated to stop the mouths of gainsayers, "comparing spiritual things with spiritual," and inaking the Scripture its own interpreter. To the third edition, in 1767, was added A Letter to the common People in answer to some popular Arguments against the Trinity. The Society for promoting Christian Knowledge have fince laudably admitted it into their list of books, and from the general distribution of it, there can be no doubt of its producing great and good effects.

And here it was he engaged in a work he had much at heart, for which he was eminently qualified, as the event proved, and which some of his friends had at heart likewise, who subscribed among them 3001. per ann. for three years (in which number was the present worthy Dean of Hereford, now Master, but then only Fellow, of University College, who most generously put his name down for 50l. per ann.) to enable him to supply himself with an apparatus sufficient for the purpose of making the experiments necessary to his composing a Treatise on Philosophy. In 1762, he published An Essay on the first Principles of Natural Philosophy, in quarto, the design of which was to demonstrate the use of natural means, or second causes, in the economy of the material world from reason, ex periments, and the testimony of antiquity; and, in 1781, he published a larger work in quarto, under the title of Physiological DisquisiHh 2 tions

tions, or Discourses on the Natural Philosophy of the Elements. As it was ever his study to make philosophy the handmaid of religion, he has in this work embraced every opportunity of turning natural knowledge to the illustration of divine truth, and the advancement of virtue. When the first volume was published, the late Earl of Bute, whom one may now without offence, it is presumed, stile the patron of learning and learned men, was so satisfied with it, that he desired the author not to be intimidated through fear of expence from pur suing his philosophical studies, but direct Mr. Adams, the mathematical instrument-maker, to supply him with such instruments as he might want for making experiments, and put them to his account; and he also handsomely offered him the use of any books he might have occasion for. In a letter Mr. Jones wrote to a friend, after a conversation with his Lordship, which was not confined to philosophical subjects, having mentioned with approbation what had passed in discourse, he observes, such is the man whom the King delighteth to honour; and then adverting to the frenzy of the times, and the character of the popular favourite, when the cry was Wilkes and Liberty, adds, such is the man whom the people delight to honour. One thing which made a great impression on Mr. Jones at the time was, that it being agreed between them, that there was no pleasure like that of a studious life, his Lordship observed there was a time when he made himself a teacher to his children, and followed his studies in the retirement of a remote situation in the North. The day was then too short; but since he came forward into public life and public business, he had scarcely known one hour of enjoyment. If his Lordship, who was at the top of the world, found so much dissatisfaction, what reason have I, (thought Mr. Jones) who am at the bottom of it to complain that life is troublesome and favour uncertain?

It is said, that "no one remembered the poor wise man who saved the city;" but the author of the Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity, who did such eminent service to the Church and city of God was not forgotten; he was remembered by Archbishop Secker, who presented him, first to the Vicarage of Bethersden in Kent, in the year 1764, and soon after to the more valuable Rectory of Pluckley in the same county, as some reward for his able defence of Christian orthodoxy. Accordingly he took his wife and his two children, and all his substance, which was not much (my Master Jones, said an old servant of his, minds money no more nor the dirt in the street,) and went to the place which the Providence of God had allotted for him. The income he derived from his Vicarage not being equal to what he expected, it was thought expedient by his friends, that he should eke out his slender pittance by taking a few pupils. And a happy thought it was for those who were to have the benefit of his instruction; for of no man could it be more truly said, "By a constant unwearied diligence he attained unto a perfection in all the learned languages; by the help of which, and his unremitted studies he had made the subtilty of all the arts easy and familiar to Aimself. So that by thefe, added to his great reason, and his in

dustry

dustry added to both, he did not only know more of causes and effects, but what he knew, he knew better than other men. And with this knowledge, he had a most blessed and clear method of demonstrat-t ing what he knew, to the great advantage of all his pupils." As he had undertaken the tuition of two young gentlemen, when he was at Bethersden, he continued the practice after he removed to Pluckley.

In 1766, he preached the Visitation Sermon before Archbishop Secker at Ashford, greatly to the satisfaction of his Grace and the whole audience. Owing to some delicacy or other (perhaps false delicacy,) it was not printed at the time, though much wished; but in the year 1769 the substance of it was published in the form of a letter to a young gentleman at Oxford, intended for Holy Orders, contain ing some seasonable cautions against errors in doctrine; and may be read to great advantage by every candidate for the sacred profession. - Ön the publication of a work, intitled, The Confessional, an artful libel on creeds, confessions, articles of faith, &c. the Archbishop considered Mr. Jones as a proper person to write an answer to it; and accordingly he drew up some remarks on it; but had then neither health nor leisure to fit them for the press. This he was the less uneasy about, as the argument was undertaken by others, of whose learning and experience he had a better opinion than of his own; and a full confutation of the work was published in three letters addressed to its author, written by a judicious hand, the Rev. Dr. Ridley. But a new edition being called for of the Answer to an Essay on Spirit, Mr. Jones thought it advisable to add, by way of sequel, the remarks he had originally drawn up on the principles and spirit of the Confessional, not, as supposing they had not been fairly and fully refuted in the three letters; but that being in a smaller compass, they might better suit the taste of some readers; -and, in 1770, they were published.

It is mentioned in Bishop Porteus's Life of Archbishop Secker, that all the tracts, written by Dr. Sharp in the Hutchinsonian Controversy, were submitted to his Grace's inspection, previous to their publication, who corrected and improved them throughout; from whence we are to conclude he approved them. But whatever his prejudices were originally against what is called Hutchinsonianism, and they were supposed at one time to be pretty strong, they must have been greatly done away before he became the patron of Mr. Jones. When the Essay on the first Principles of Natural Philo. sophy was published, his Grace observed to a gentleman who saw at lying on his table, "this work of Mr. Jones's is not to be treated with neglect; it is sensibly and candidly written, and if it is not answered, we little folks shall conclude it is, because it cannot be answered:" and it never was answered. And he told Mr. Jones himself by way of consolation (knowing possibly how difficult it was to get rid of old prejudices, that he must be content to be accounted, for a time, an heretic in philosophy. However, the time is at hand, it is to be hoped, when the subject will meet with a more impartial examination, and then Hutchinsonianism, so many years a bugbear,

Hh3

may

may turn out to be a harmless thing at last, of which no man need be afraid.

In 1773, he collected together into a volume disquisitions on some select subjects of Scripture, which had been before printed in sepa rate tracts, all in the highest degree instructing and edifying.

In 1776, in the character of a PRESBYTER of the CHURCH OF ENGLAND, he published, in a letter to a friend at Oxford, which was reprinted in the Scholar armed, Reflexions on the Growth of Heathenism among modern Christians. In an advertisement prefixed he says, The reader may be shocked, when he is told that there is a disposition to heathenism in an age of so much improvement, and pronounce the accusation improbable and visionary; but he is requested to weigh impartially the facts here offered, and then to form his judgment." And when the facts are weighed, which he adduces, the conclusion must be, that the accusation is not visionary but just. In all the sciences, in poets, orators, artists, and natural philoso phers, the tokens of this Pagan infection are very observableWhere at last (says he) will this taste for heathen learning, which hath been prevailing and increasing for so many years, from the days of Lord Herbert to the present time, lead us? Whither can it lead us but to indifference and atheism? A Christian corrupted with heathen affections degenerates into something worse than the origi nal heathens of antiquity." And as if he had then before his eyes (in 1776) that " beginning of sorrows," to Europe, the French revo lution and apostacy, the introduction of the old abominable Pagan idolatry, and revival of Pagan rites in the dedication of Altars to Liberty and Reason, he observes, "should any person ask me how Christianity is to be banished out of Christendom, as the predictions of the Gospel give us reason to expect it will be, I should make no scruples to answer, that it will certainly be brought to pass by this growing affection to heathenism. And, therefore, it is devoutly to be wished that some censor would arise with the zeal and spirit of Martin Luther to remonstrate effectually against this indulgence of Paganism, which is more fatal to the interests of Christianity than all the abuses purged away at the Reformation. This is now the grand abuse against which the zeal of a Luther and the wit of an Erasmus ought to be directed: it is the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not, even in the sanctuary of Christianity, and is a worse offence than all the profanations that ever happened to the Jewish temple." During his residence at Pluckley, which was upwards of twelve years, he carried on his philosophical work with the usual ardour, he taught his pupils learning by instruction, and virtue by example, and in his attention to the flock, of which he was overseer, pursuing the plan he had adopted at Wadenhoe, he was a watchful shepherd; "in the day the drought consumed him, and the frost by night, and 'sleep departed from his eyes."

But man continueth not in one stay." The good Rector was induced to remove from Pluckley, and accepting the perpetual Curacy of Nayland in Suffolk, he went thither to reside with his

family.

family. Soon after, he effected an exchange of Pluckley for Paston' in Northamptonshire, which he visited annually; but he set up his staff at Nayland for the remainder of his days, not being "led into temptation" ever to quit that post by any future offer of preferment." It being matter of surprise to many, that he who "laboured more abundantly than they all," (which might be said without disparagement to any) should have been so miserably neglected, and that so much merit should meet with so little reward; a friend, who was no great misanthrope neither, nor out of humour with the world for any disappointments he had met with in it, used to smile at the conceit of any one being preferred for his merit, and said if a man was preferred notwithstanding his merit, it was as much, all things considered, as could be reasonably expected. He had a notion that being quite in the right stood more in a man's way than being a good deal in the wrong: there are unfashionable unpalatable truths which must be kept out of sight and never once be mentioned. This is a hard saying; who can hear it?" From that time, many went back, and walked no more with him. Though in regard to Mr. Jones, it must be allowed, whatever part of his merit might "keep him back from honour," some of it had a share in the preferment he did obtain. To Archbishop Secker, who gave him the Living of Pluckley, he was first known only as the Author of the Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity; and from the present Archbishop of Canterbury, who always spake of him with the affection of a brother, he received most unequivocal proofs of the sincerest friendship, independent of the sinecure Rectory of Hollingbourn, and visiting the merits of the father upon the son, by presenting the latter, in his father's life-time, to the valuable Living of Latchingdon. The physiological disquisitions, before alluded to, having received their last revise, they were added to the public stock of philosophical knowledge in 1781. Whatever prejudices might subsist against them at that time, it is to be supposed they soon died away; for the impression has long since been sold off, and the book is now in great request. A notion is entertained, it seems, by some persons, that the elementary philosophy naturally leads to Atheism, and Sir Isaac Newton himself is charged with giving countenance to ma terialism by his Ether: but nothing can be farther from the truth, and it is surprising how such a thought could ever enter into the head of any man. It is the aim and study of the elementary, called the Hutchinsonian, philosophy not to confound God and nature, but to distinguish between the Creator and the creature ; not with the Heathens to set up the heavens for God, but to believe and con fess with all true worshippers," that it is Jehovah, who made the heavens." And to maintain that the operations in nature are carried on by the agency of the elements, which experiment demonstrates, is no more excluding God from being the Creator of the world, than to maintain that motion once given to a watch will continue without the immediate application of the artist's hand every moment to it, is asserting, that the watch made itself. Let any Hh 4