About this time appeared a valuable tract, written by Mr. Chandler, and published with the sanction and concurrence of some other dissenting ministers, entitled ‘Plain Reasons for being a Christian;’ containing a very distinct and satisfactory general view of the evidences of the Christian revelation, reduced into a small compass, as it appears to have been intended for wide circulation, but drawn up in such a form as to leave unnoticed scarcely any topic of material importance which has a bearing on the question. As is justly observed by Bishop Watson, who has included this essay in his well-known ‘Collection of Theological Tracts,’ the full merit of this piece will not be seen or fully appreciated by a hasty reading;—every article of it contains matter for much consideration, and shews the author to have been well acquainted with his subject. In fact, each article may be considered as comprising a series of topics or suggestions on which a diffuse and popular writer might enlarge at great length, and which he might with great advantage take as his guide in dwelling on these important inquiries, and recommending their results to his readers or hearers.
Mr. Chandler had projected a general Commentary on the Prophets of the Old Testament, and commenced by the publication of a Paraphrase and Critical Commentary on the Prophecy of Joel, which appeared in 1735; with a Dedication to the Right Honourable Arthur Onslow, then Speaker of the House of Commons. This is a treatise of considerable merit and authority,
