This Journal contains observations on Mr. Oldcastle’s minutes of Q. Elizabeth’s reign, which he affirms is a collection of Scraps without order or method, coherence or connexion, being sounds without sense, confusedly thrown at the present administration. See p. 3.
Admits that this Queen was a wise and glorious Princess, but says that our Constitution, and the exercise of Power at home, is vastly better than what they were in her reign, and our Foreign Affairs transacted with as much wisdom.
Quotes Mr. Oldcastle’s own words, in which he describes the Wisdom and Address of Q. Elizabeth, to describe the Wisdom and Address of the present Minister in negotiating Foreign Affairs. (See p. 3.)
Lastly, he gives several maxims out of Cambden and Francis Osborne’s memoirs of this Queen, such as her preferring peace to war; her delaying resentment of injuries till proper seasons; her judgment of her subjects abilities, which she dextrously fitted for her favours and their employments; her steady resolution not to ransom herself from her enemies at the price of their preferments who lov’d her.
Fog’s Journal, Saturday, January 9. No. 120.
A Letter is inserted, containing remarks on Mr. Chubb’s discourse concerning Reason, in which is asserted, that it either is, or ought to be a sufficient guide in matters of Religion.
This Proposition the remarker explains in the words of Mr. Chubb, and assents to, and then proceeds to consider it more particularly. Does not comprehend Mr. Chubb’s observation, i. e. The Question is not whether there be absolutely such a capacity in man: for if man has such a capacity, as Mr. Chubb insists, he may be truly said to be the possessor of it. Nor can the remarker understand the sense of that clause, he ought to have, because it has no relation to the dispute between Mr. Chubb and the Bp of London, i. e. what man now has, and is capable of.
The remarker goes on to shew, that the author’s argument to prove that man ought to have such a capacity, is needless, because it is universally assented to.
Mr. Chubb argues, That as our species was no ways accessary to Adam’s transgression, ’tis unreasonable and unequal that they should suffer by it.