Lowman, Moses

, a learned dissenting clergyman, was born in 1680. He was originally destined for the law, and in 1697 entered as a student in the Middle-Temple, but in about two years he changed his purpose and determined to study divinity. With this view he went over to Holland in 1699, where he studied partly at Utrecht and partly at Leyden. In 1710, after being admitted to the ministry among the dissenters, he settled with the congregation at Claphana, as assistant to Mr. Grace, whom he succeeded as their pastor, and was ordained in 1714. In | this situation he continued to his death, preaching twice each Sunday until within a few weeks of that event. He distinguished himself, from the period of his academical studies, in metaphysics and divinity: and, to the close of his life, he was an indefatigable reader, and acquired an extraordinary stock of useful knowledge, particularly in Jewish learning and antiquities, to which last he was much devoted. The result of this application appeared in the learned works he published, and which constituted his chief fame; for as a pulpit orator, it does not appear that he was much admired. Dr. Chandler, who preached his funeral sermon, gives him a very high personal character. He died May 3, 1752, in the seventy-third year of his age.

His pen was first employed, in 1716, in a kind of periodical work, called the “Occasional Papers,” which now form three volumes, 8vo, and in which he wrote, No. I. (vol. H.) “On Orthodoxy” and No. VI. “On the danger of the Chqrcb.” His colleagues in this paper were Mr. Simon Brown, Dr. Grosvenor, Dr. Evans, and others. The subjects are in general on points in controversy with the church. In 1718, he wrote a treatise against Collins, the title of which, says his biographer, is forgotten, but it is mentioned by the accurate Leland, as “The Argument from prophecy, in proof that Jesus is the Messiah, vindicated, in some considerations on the prophecies cf the Old Testament, as the grounds and reasons of the Christian religion.” It was not printed, however, until 1733. In 1735, he was one of the preachers at Salttr’s-H ill, against popery: the subject of his sermon, “The Principles of Popery schismatical.” He had published before this, two occasional sermons. Another of his pamphlets, entitled “An Argument to prove the Unity and Perfections of God d prioi’i,” uas more admired for its novelty and ingenuity than usefulness: but the works of Mr. Lowman on which his reputation is most securely founded, are, 1. “A Dissertation on the Civil Government of the Hebrews,” in answer to Morgan’s “Moral Philosopher.” This, whicU appeared in 1740, was esteemed a very judicious performance, and was highly approved of by bishop Sherlock and' other clergymen of the established church. The second edition, in 1745, has an appendix. 2. “A rationale of the Ritual of the Hebrew Worship: in which the design and usefulness of that ritual are explained and vindicated from objections/ 1 1748. 3.” A Paraphrase and Notes upon the Revelation | of St. John,“4to, twice, and 8vo, lately. 4.” Three (posthumous) Tracts," on the Schechina, the Logos, &c. ¹