land, and Dr. Johnson's upon Newton, in their several accounts of Milton's conduct with respect to religious worship; and we think it an apt illustration of Toby Smollet's story of the three crows. For our parts, we are of opinion, that Milton's sentiments, or the practical effects of them in matters of religion, want no vindication. As to the matter in question, we remember a passage in Robert Barclay's catechism, where the author, having cited several texts of Scripture, concludes, Ex omnibus hisce scripturæ locis apparet, verum Dei cultum in spiritu elle; et ficut nec certo cuilibet loco, ita nec certo cuivis tempori limitatur. This might be Milton's persuasion, as well as Bar clay's; L 9 1 clay's; but no confiderate man would conclude from these words, that Barclay never prayed in private. The worthy man to whose memory these papers are dedicated fell under many foolish and illiberal fufpicions on account of his absenting from public worship. If any of our more ingenuous readers have been imposed upon, or influenced by such base infinuations of purblind bigotry, we may hope they will now see in some expressions of Mr. Hollis's heart-felt unaffected piety, that pure religion and undefled before God and the Father, does not depend upon a man's exterior connections with any vi-, lible church, or religious fociety, so called, 4 called, whatever. And this we presume to offer as a complete apology for Milton, as well as his excellent and ever memorable difciple. L 10 120.00 Cura are prefixed to these REMARKS. “The Arms that John Milton did use 66 and feal his letters with, were Argent, a Spread Eagle, with two heads gules, legg'd and beak’d fable.” Wood, vol. I. fast. 262. These arnis are engraved in Toland's Milton, vol. I. but the crest is not there as in Milton's seal. Milton's feal, from which the arms were taken, was bought of Mr. John Payne, by T.H. for three guineas, 1761. It is in silver, came into his possession on the death of Foster, who had married a grand-daughter of Milton's. The The dates of the original editions of MILTON'S Profe Works.cl 1641, Of Reformation in England. 1641, Of Prelatical Episcopacy. 1641, Of Church Government. 1641, Animadversions upon the Remoir ftrants 'defence against Smec tymnus. 1642, An Apology for Smectymnus. 1644, Areopagitica... 1644, The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce. 1644; The Doctrine, &c. of Divorce much' augmented, a second edition. 1645, The fame. 1644, The LII |
