quiescent to the end of the world; but apply fire to them in a certain degree, and they will unite, never more to be separated. From these, and all other like operations of nature and art, does it look as if matter acted on matter at a distance by qualities? Can there be a supposition more unphilosophical, more contrary to fact? For how should two masses of dead matter, placed at a distance, have any effect on each other, when even two animated bodies cannot exercise any such power? Let two men be placed at the distance of twenty yards from each other, take away the light from between them, and they cannot see one another; take away the air, and then the one cannot speak, and the other cannot hear. In short, the world is at an end with them both; and so it would be with this earth, and the sun, and all the planets, unless they communicated with each other by some intervening fluid in motion. As the system of life and functions of the body are kept up by the blood flowing to all parts, the rationale of the thing is the same in the great system of nature, where order and motion must be preserved on the same principle of a circulation in the fluid of the heavens.

But 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 Materialism by his Ether; though nothing can be further 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

and confess 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. The powers of nature truly understood, in the sense of this Author, agree with what is revealed to us concerning the nature of God and man, which is a farther recommendation of the plan. "Nature is Christian." But Nature, falsely understood, as in modern philosophy, leads to such ideas of God as are contrary to the Christian Religion; it being well known, that ever since the fashion has prevailed of deducing religious truth from some fancied discoveries in philosophy, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity hath been more and more disputed; as it is an undoubted fact, that our Arians, Socinians, and Deists, are chiefly found among those, who affect to excel in the modern philosophy, and who actually make use of it to recommend Heterodoxy and Infidelity. Let any one read the Physiolo gical Disquisitions, and he will soon be convinced, that North and South are not more opposite than Hutchinsonianism and Materialism. In this, as in all his writings, Mr. Jones is mindful of his own observation, "Life is so short, and knowledge comes so

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slowly to man in this mortal state, that nothing "should be represented under an obscure form, which is "capable of a plain one." "Your stile" (says a friend writing to him, after having read the Disquisitions)

Your stile has the property of the Italian atmo

sphere, of which travellers remark, that "it embel lishes all objects by shewing them with clearness, which is the great point; for the use of style, as of glass, is only to see other things through; and therefore the clearest must be the best."

The figurative language of the Holy Scripture having been always his favourite study; after revolving. the subject in his mind for many years, he drew up a course of Lectures, which were delivered at the parish Church of Nayland in Suffolk, in the year 1786; and, that they might not be confined to a corner, but that other cities also" might have the benefit of them, in the year following they were published for the edification of the Christian Church at large. The mode of interpretation here pursued, is what Christians knew and taught above a thousand years ago; yet apprehensive that it might seem to be " bringing many strange things to the ears of some people" in these days, he has been particularly careful to have the sanction of Scripture itself for every explanation he has adopted, that he might be able to say, "thus it is written." To compleat his plan, he had a supplemental discourse in reserve, which, knowing how "unskilful some are in the word of righteousness, having need of milk and not of strong meat," he did not print till several years after, and then with a desire that it should fall into the hands of those only, who were prepared, by what they had already seen in the other Lectures, to give it due consideration. The reflexion naturally suggested to the mind on reading this volume, is, that as the Author was diligent in all "other branches of learning, so he seemed restless "in searching the scope and intention of God's Spirit "revealed to mankind in the Scriptures. For the

"under

"understanding of which, he seemed to be assisted "by the same Spirit with which they were written; "he that regardeth truth in the inward parts, making "him to understand wisdom secretly."

Music was the delight of his soul, and he was a Master of it. He understood both Theory and Practice. His Treatise on the Art of Music is reckoned to display a profound knowledge of the subject, and his Compositions, a morning and evening Cathedral Service, ten Church Pieces for the Organ, with four Anthems in score for the use of the Church of Nayland, are greatly admired, as of the old school, in the true classical style 2. His instruments were all tuned to the glory of God," to sing praises to his name, to tell of his loving kindness early in the morning, and of his truth in the night season." And herein he was gratified at Nayland to the desire of his heart. The Church, which is an elegant Gothic building, wanted nothing, he thought, but an Organ, to make it compleat for worshipping God in the beauty of holiness. By the concurrent assistance of some good friends, who were ever ready to promote his laudable designs, it was accomplished; he was indulged in his pious wish; and in the holy services of the Church, he" rejoiced at the sound of the Organ." In a Sermon on the nature and excellence of Music, preached at the opening of the new Organ in 1787, he observes, "When we consider the performance of sacred Music

a It is the opinion of many eminent persons, well qualified to decide on the subject, that in the whole history of English Psalmody nothing has been produced superior to Mr. Jones's Composition, in four parts, which he adapted to the second metre of the 23d psalm (Old Version) and which, after the name of his favourite Saint, he called St. Stephen's Tune.

5

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as a duty, much is to be learned from it. If music " is a gift of God to us for our good, it ought to be "used as such for the improvement of the under"standing, and the advancement of devotion. All <6 our Church Music tends to keep up our acquaint"ance with the Psalms, those divine compositions, of "which none can feel the sense, as music makes

them feel it, without being edified. The sacred "harp of David will still have the effect it once had "upon Saul; it will quiet the disorders of the mind, the enemies of our peace.' ❝ and drive away

"Suffer little children to come unto me (says the compassionate Saviour of mankind) and forbid them not." After the example of his blessed Master, the Minister of Nayland was ever anxious to receive little children under his care, and " train them up in the way wherein they should go." He well knew how to adapt his instructions to the understanding of his young disciples, and took peculiar pleasure in the exercise of this branch of his pastoral office." Feed my lambs."-He taught them privately at his own house, and publicly in the Church; and his catechetical lectures, which were plain, and adapted to the capacities of the children, were admirably calculated for the edification of those of riper years. And whereas didactic discourses are for the most part dry and tedious, he had the successful art of engaging attention by making them animated and interesting. Having been long persuaded of the great importance of uniformity in worship amongst christians, and having observed the many evil consequences of nonconformity, he was particularly careful to instruct his young pupils in the nature of the Church, and convince them betimes of the heinousness of the sin of

schism.