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for Unitarian Dissenters" does not patronise that association, with his pence, or his eloquence. It appears, however, that, while he reserves his money for better purposes, with the libe rality of the priest in the fable, he has a benediction at the Society's service. While the subject of Bibles, benedictions, and Unitarians, is thus obtruded upon our attention, we cannot avoid adverting to the command which the great Apostle has enforced, with more than his wonted eloquence; Gal. i. 7-9-" but there be some that would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you :—as we said before, so say I now again, It any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, avabeu esw." To nine tenths out of those who compose the Bible Society; we are perfectly conscious, it is all one, whether these last words have any meaning whatever, or the meaning apparently assigned them, by Messrs. Dealtry, Aspland, and Gisborne," bid him God speed," the blessing of God be with him." But as in the tenth, or residuary, part of that association, there are some whom we know to be scholars, we would wish them to favour us with some plausible gloss upon this embarrassing passage *.

Though our author, for very obvious, reasons, declines entering into the question of the merits of the Bible Society, he does not neglect, for reasons equally plain, to improve the opportunity which it affords him of levelling a shaft at the Authorised Version. The substance of his objections is contained in the following tremendous charge;

"The English Version contains some evident mistranslations, some false readings, and at least one interpolation." P. 28.

The first count in this charge is substantiated by reference to Act. i. 20. xii. 4. Eph. iv. 32; the second by reference to Act.

* To assist those who are less qualified to discuss questions of this kind, we subjoin the comment of one, who possessed the best means of deciding, and was not overswayed by an attachment to Episcopacy; Seld. de Synedr. Lib. I. cap. viii. p. 112. "Avádua w Anathema sit. Syrus ibi jum jonasit Cherem, Ebraice

habeatur in statu ejus in quem sententia הוא חום seu יהי הום

CHEREM, Seu EXCOMMUNICATIO, sic dicta, lata est. Consonans est Arabs Erpenianus Logo Sali sit per Cherem excommunicatus, quemadmodum habet Codex penes me MS. In Bibliis

sit segregatus seu sepa ليكن مفروزا autem Jaianis Arabs

ratus, id est simpliciter excommunicatus." By all of which we are doutbtless to understand, wish him God speed; and make him a member of the Bible Society.'

XX. 28.

xx. 28. 1 Tim. ii. 16; and the third by reference to 1 Joh. v. 7: to which we will not condescend to reply, by an observation. On the false readings and interpolations of the New Testament we have, long since, stated our sentiments; from whence those who are still inclined to support the corrected reading of Act, xx. 28. 1 Tim. iii. 16. (we respect a high authority, in excepting 1 Joh. v. 7.) as reconcilable to the Apostles' context, may collect our opinion of their principles, if not of their acumen. On the critic before us, who in three observations upon three simple texts, (Act. i. 20. xii. 4. Eph. iv. 32.) contrives, not merely to blunder upon the whole, but to prove himself ignorant of the meaning of the Greek preposition v, it would be descending rather too low to offer an observation. We however subjoin the following remark, as the most apposite exemplification, with which we are acquainted, of the "effrontery of that incurable ignorance," to use the strong language of Bishop Horsley," which is ignorant even of its own want of knowledge."

"It is too late to cry out against criticism. Learning is the handmaid of truth, and like it and with it must prevail. We may shut our eyes to the light, but we cannot extinguish it.-Nor will it now avail, to cast bad names upon critics and reasoners: the cry of heresy can never be raised to purpose in the REPUBLIC OF LET, TERS," &c. P. 34. n,

As the object with which we undertook a review of the sorry production before us limits our attention to those points princi pally which are hostile to the Establishment, we shall release our readers from a subject which cannot be productive of profit or pleasure, after offering a few observations upon the only remaining topic which is discussed with any pretence to learning, or show of plausibility.

In the antecedent observations, we have replied to the objections of Micaiah Towgood; in the subsequent we must reply to the remarks of Professor Campbell: for of the various subjects which compose the work under review, we can discover but a single objection, which has not been repeatedly urged, and refuted. In the course of these observations, in which the sapient author begs leave to offer his services towards giving (us) information upon two or three hard words, which (we) use with less regard to sense than sound," P. 74, the obligation which he contracts, iu borrowing the favor which he bestows, is indeed repaid by an acknowledgment. The cause of this liberality, although sedulously concealed, is however no secret to the reviewers; had it been safe to quote the opinions of Mr. Forster without citing any authority, they would have been doubtless

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quoted at the source, not retailed, at second hand, from Dr, Campbell; and the names of both parties have been as sedulously suppressed, as on other convenient occasions.

In the discharge of this undertaking, we are accordingly informed, by our author, that "the Greek word alpeois, heresy, properly imports no more than election or choice," P. 77: that

it is never employed to denote error of judgment, but has ins variably a reference to perverseness of disposition and malig nity," P. 79: that it applies to him who "makes a division contrary to the warnings of his conscience," to "sects and factions that sprang up from worldly designs, and served only carnal motives," P. 73: that the application of these "hard names is an assumption of infallibility," P. 92: and that the Apostles who could read the human heart, were sparing of those harsh and hostile names." 99 P. 88.

The value of this obligation is, however, somewhat diminished to those, who have been long since informed, in similar language, by Mr. Foster *; that " a heretic is no more than one who chooses to join himself to a particular religious sect;" that ❝an heretic in a bad sense must be one who knowingly espouses a false doctrine, is insincere in his profession, and asserts and defends what he is convinced is contrary to Christianity;" that "heresy is a work of the flesh, and that the heretics of these (apostolic) times, are set forth as men of immoral lives :" that

to know a heretic we must know his heart, and that this power was confined to the Apostles, and exercised only through the gift of discerning spirits." But the obligation is rather stale to those who have long learned the truth from Dr. Stebbing, as inculcated on Mr. Fosters' memory, in terms which were not soon forgotten; "Though in those parts of the New Tes tament, where matters are only historically declared, Heresy is often used in an indifferent sense; yet in the Epistles which were written to serve as directions to Christians, in the conduct of their lives, we are perpetually warned against Heresies, as very bad things. This, Sir, is the truth; and if you had set the point in this just and proper light, it would have raised, perhaps, other sentiments in your hearers, and in your readers +."

This observation will, perhaps, acquit us of every obligation, on the score of information, to "the judicious and candid Campbell;" whose " judgment" in borrowing the errours of his precursors, and "candour" in declining to acknowledge the obligation, are sufficiently delineated in the choice of two apposite epithets. As, in our estimation, a benevolent intention is

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ever entitled to the same return, as a successful attempt, we shall offer our services, in explaining one of these hard terms, on the subject of which we have received not a little amusement, at the expence of our wise and learned instructors. 1. The term

avтoxaтáxpiros, Tit. iii. 11. from whence it is determined, that heresy is a sin against conscience, signifies, according to the genius of the Greek language, and the customs of the Jewish people*, self-sentenced, self-denounced;" one who stands condemned, not by his own conscience before God, but by his own mouth before men +.” 2. The term Alpeois, Heresy, Ibid. iii. 10. which is now given a reference to the immoral lives and carnal motives of the possessor, is opposed, in the sacred writings, to doctrine, not morals; and is used in this sense in the general directions given to the church for rejecting all who avowed their errors t. 3. The gift of infallibility, and power of discerning men's hearts, is consequently unnecessary, in the nature of the thing, for exercising this authority in maintaining the discipline of the Church; and as the proper attribute of God, was absolutely unpossessed by the Apostles§. 4. Supposing any gift necessary, it reduces the injunction given to whole Churches, by the Apostle, Tit. iii. Gal. i. 8. for rejecting heretics, to a palpable absurdity; unless we suppose it extended to the power of reading men's hearts.

With this observation we may consign Mr. Robert Aspland to the fate of Mr. John Jones and Mr. Thomas Belsham: as the partner of their praise, not less than the companion of their labours. As we are conscious, how much the success of their exertions must depend on the unanimity of their operations; we would not, by stimulating their jealousy, excite any of those evil passions, which by operating in contrary directions, might thwart their respective endeavours. The meed of praise, which we have to bestow, shall be consequently distributed with as

* Seld. ubi supr. Lib. II. cap. xii. § 3. p. 322. "Aiunt autem 11 IT WPN Tay Rite homo judicabat seipsum (in seipsum legitimum fercbat judicium) etiamsi bona sua non minuerit.'. Id est, ubi quis sive actor sive reus futurus ferret in aut de se sentention, quam et adversario enarraret-properare ei necesse non erat ad forum, &c. Forte ex more hoc legitimo judicandi seipsum, ortæ sunt locutiones aliquot S. Pauli, summi inter Judæos Christianosque sui temporis, theologi et jurisconsulti. Vox illa singularis αὐτοκατάκριτος οι seipso damnatus ei usurpatur.”

+ Steb. I Let. to Fost. p. 16. II Let. p. 28.

Seld. ubi supr. p. 323. conf. Lib. I. cap. viii. p. 117. Steb,

I Let. p. 28 II Let. p. 38. 72.

Steb. ibid. 1 Let. pp. 24, 25. II Let. p. 40.

impartial

impartial a hand as possible. In those qualifications, which are calculated to fit them for succeeding in the glorious cause which they have espoused, we are at a loss to discover which is most uninformed, most confident, or most shallow. And though from a rough calculation of their various characteristic merits, we are enabled to assign most dulness to Mr. Jones, most imbecility to Mr. Belsham, and most malice to Mr. Aspland; we are yet undecided in opinion, which of the triumvirate may excel in presumption.

ART. VII. A Help to the Study of the Scriptures, designed to assist the Unlearned in Reading them with Profit. By a Churchman. 62 pp. 6d. Hatchard.

1815.

As it is our wish to recommend by our notice certain Tracts to general use, so it is our duty by the same notice to caution the public against the adoption of others. The one before us is, we are sorry to say, of the last description. The author appears to set at nought all the aid of human learning and human reason (forgetting that they are both the gifts of God) in the study of the Scripture, to direct his readers to look for immediate inspiration as the only means of understanding the word of God. He, indeed, who will study the Scriptures without praying for the grace of God to assist him in his research, will study them to very little spiritual advantage; but he who waits for an experience to reveal to him their meaning and tendency, and refuses the assistance of human learning in their interpretation, will study them to as little. Grace and reason are equally the gifts of God, and the one is given not to supersede, but to assist the other. But the author has, by a strange perversion of purpose, given little account of the several books of the Old and New Testament, as a help to the ignorant. But is not this" worldly wisdom and science," and if the Bible is its own interpreter, why give a preparatory interpretation? Thus much for his consistency. Let us now examine these interpretations.

"ROMANS. This epistle was written to Christians the Apostle had not yet seen, who lived at Rome which was then the capital or chief city of the whole world. It contains a statement of the doctrines of the gospel in regular order. The ground work or first principles of the gospel are given in the five first chapters; the blessed fruits arising from an experimental knowledge of those principles, are displayed in the privileges of the six following chapters, and in the precepts or moral duties of the five last. St. Paul shews how all mankind are guilty before God; and that the only way to be justified or accounted righteous in his sight, to

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