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des the fophift's oration, in praife of Minerva, the heathen goddess of wisdom; who flourished A. D. 176. in the reign of the Emperor Aurelius; in the following paffage, which ftrongly refembles Solomon's defeription of primeval wisdom, perfonified, Prov. 8, 22-31. and this Introduction; and the Introduction of John's Gofpel:

Το πανίων δημιεργο και βασιλέως ταις εςι μονη δη μονα· ε γας είχεν εξ ότε ομοτιμε ποιησειεν αυτην αλλ' αναχώρησας αυτά ο εις αυτόν, αυτό εξ αυτε γεννα τε και τικλει την θεον ώςε ετι ΜΟΝΗ ΒΕΒΑΙΩΣ ΓΝΗΣΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ, εξ ισε και ὁμολογόντος ἑαυτῷ τὸ γενὸς γενομενη - Πινδαρο αν φησι; ΔΕΞΙΑΝ ΚΑΤΑ ΧΕΙΡΑ ΤΟ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΑΝΤΗΝ καθεζομενην, τας εντολας τοις Θεοις αποδέχεσθαι ΑΓΓΕΛΟΥ ΜΕΝ ΓΑΡ ΕΣΤΙ ΜΕΙΖΩΝ Ἡ δε, των αγγελων αλλοις αλλά επιτατίει, πρώτη παρά τε πατρος παραλαμβάνεσα, ανθ' ΕΞΗΓΗΤΟΥ ΤΙΝΟΣ τοις θεοις και εισαγωγέως, ὅταν και τοτε διη.

"WISDOM is the only daughter of the only Maker and King of all: For He had none other of equal rank with Himself on whom He could produce her; and therefore retiring into Himfelf, He begat and brought forth the goddess from Himfelf; fo that the is the only firmly legitimate offspring of the Father; born of a birth equal and of the fame nature with Himfelf:"-" Concerning her, Pindar alfo faith fitting at the right hand of the Father, the receiveth his commands to the Gods: For he is greater than an angel; and delivereth to divers of the angels divers orders, firft receiving them herfelf from the Father; acting as an interpreter and introducer, to the Gods, whenever it be needful." Cudworth, Intellect. Syft. p. 487.

Surely when we are encompaffed with fuch a cloud of witneffes," to the divinity of JESUS CHRIST, "who (being GoD over all) is bleffed for evermore," Rom. 9, 5. No fober-minded

Churchman," feeking for "encreafe of faith" by "searching the original Scriptures' diligently-can queftion, any longer, the propriety of our authorized tranflation of Pf. 45, 6. "Thy throne, O GOD, endureth for ever, &c." as applied immediately to JESUS CHRIST; and demonftrated indeed, by the very next verfe, 7: "Therefore GOD, THY GOD, anointed thee, &c." meaning "THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST."-05, in the 6th verfe (as well obferved by the EDITORS, p. 452.) is an attic vocative cafe, moft frequently ufed in the Septuagint verfion, fee Trommius;-thus, Mark 15, 34. adopts the Septuagint rendering of our Lord's exclamation on the crofs, 'O'OEOE MOY, ‘Q ☺EOL ΜΟΥ, εις τι με εγκαταλιπες ; which Matt. 27, 46. more correctly renders, ΘΕΕ ΜΟΥ, ΘΕΕ ΜΟΥ, ἵνα τι με εγκατέλιπες ; My God, My God, why haft Thou forfaken me?"-And as is, is not ufed as a nominative cafe, where the verb λey, is expreffed, throughout the whole introduction; it is contrary to analogy, that it should be so used on this occafion, where aye is understood; as fuggefted by your correfpondent Boustead, vol. i. p. 331. Your's, &c. Dec. 30, 1801. INSPECTOR.

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TO

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FAITH AND WORKS CONSIDERED.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN,

BY

Y the events which have taken place among His difciples, our Lord's words, that a man's enemies should be thofe of his own household, have been accomplished in more fenfes than one; for, from the establishment of the church, the peace of it has been difturbed by none more frequently, or more deeply, than by its own miftaken or apoftate members: and, as the mischiefs arifing from fuch, have in every age been, fo are they to be lamented in the prefent; when multitudes, under the belief or pretence of adhering moft fcrupulously to her doctrines, do either open a door to, or actually introduce tenets and practices directly adverse to the leffons fhe has received from her Divine Mafter.

I have been led to these reflections by the perufal of a little tract lately put into my hands, which is very feriously written, and entitled "Solemn Queftions for those who profefs themselves to be Members of the Church of England, by a Clergyman of that Church." For, while the author of thefe queftions appears to write with the utmoft fincerity, and feems with unaffected religious zeal, to endeavour to promote, among his brethren, a confiftency of doctrine, which, it muft with forrow be confeffed, is in fome of them very visibly wanting, feveral paffages of his addrefs are open to very pernicious mifconftruction; fuch indeed as would pave the way for conclufions, to which no fincere member of the Church of England, no real follower of Christ can ever fubfcribe.

Far am I from charging the approbation of fuch conclufions on the author of the tract; and fhould these strictures ever fall into his hands, I trust he will himfelf explicitly difavow his perception of any danger that fuch would be drawn. When he states, that throughout our Liturgy runs the acknowledgment that we are helplefs, miferable finners before God; and thence charges with inconfiftency, as well those who exhort their congregations "to do that of themfelves, which just before they all declared themselves incapable of doing, as thofe who manifeft before men, that they are happy in the enjoyment of the world;" I cannot think, that he means to diffuade preachers from calling on their flocks to ufe the ftrength with which they are already gifted, by that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, towards the performance of their duty. Because the honeft ufe of what we already poffefs is by our bleffed Saviour himself, made the condition of our receiving more, Mark 4, 23. "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. he faith unto them, take heed what ye hear: (or rather how ye hear) with what measure ye mete, it fhall be measured to you: and unto you that have fhall more be given. For he that hath, to him fhall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath." And for the exercise of their natural reafon (which it should be remembered, is as much the gift of God as any additional grace, and without which we fhould not be moral creatures, though it be a gift, the powers of which have by abuse been much diminished, and is, therefore, of itself inadequate to the conducting of us into the right path) the fame perfect teacher called on his hearers in these terms, Vol. 11, Churchm. Mag. Jan. 1802.

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"yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?" Luke 12, 57. I cannot fuppofe he means to advife us either to bring ourselves really to be, much lefs to put on the appearance of being fad and diftrefsful; becaufe even in the very act of mortification our bleffed Lord hath charged us not to be, "as the bypocrites, of a fad countenance;" and, becaufe his apoftle exhorts us to "rejoice evermore" 1 Theff. 5, 16. and again Phil. 3, 1. "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord," and yet again, Phil. 4. 4. "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I fay, rejoice" yet the expreffions he has (it must be fuppofed unintentionally) employed, feem to me too capable of being wrefted to thefe unfcriptural purposes, and to be fuch as may too probably induce the ignorant to believe, that that faith which St. James fays even devils poffefs, that which is not fhewn by the exertion of our powers in good works, is the faith which the Church of England teaches her children to hold; a particular as contrary to her Articles as light is to darknefs.

When under his fecond head this writer afks, "Do I thus preach Chrift? Is his adorable name the chief topic of every difcourfe, and to endear him to finners, the fole cbject of my preaching? In short, is it the conftant uniform labour of every fermon to manifeft, that there is falvation in no other, neither is there any other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be faved?" I cannot fuppofe that he means to cenfure, as departing from the line of their duty, thofe of the clergy who, by varying the fubjects of their addreffes to their congregations, endeavour to lay before them, as occafion will ferve, the whole counfel of God. I cannot fuppofe, that he would recommend to them, that through their inceffant efforts to draw their attention to the love of their Redeemer, they should lead them to forget that of their Creator. I cannot fuppofe this, because the example left us both by our Lord and his apoftles is contrary thereto. That heavenly difcourfe of our Lord upon the mountain accords not with what is here given as an univerfal direction: neither, indeed, does his declaration, "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jefus Chrift, whom Thou haft fent." When St. Paul preached to Felix, he did not think it unbecoming him to reafon of temperance, righteoufnefs, and judgement to come: and numerous are the paffages in which he and his fellow apostles have fhewn by their practice, that it is the duty of minifters of the Gospel to urge their hearers to add to their faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godlinefs; and to godliness, brotherly kindnefs; and to brotherly kindnefs, charity;" which thing he that lacketh, St. Peter exprefsly fays, Eph. 2. C. 1. 9. "Is blind, and cannot fee far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old fins;" whence he did not deem it wrong for himself to proceed to the following exhortation, (which fucceeding the direction above cited as it does, if it be not a recommendation to human. ftrength to exert itself in acts of moral virtue towards its own falvation, I fhall be much obliged to the author of the Solemn Questions to teach me what is;) "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election fure; for if ye do thefe things, ye fhall never fall: for fo an entrance fhall be miniftered unto you abundantly

dantly into the everlafting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift." Nay, the apoftles could not have omitted to act thus, with out neglecting the directions of their divine Mafter, who com manded them to "teach all nations to obferve all things whatfoever he had commanded them." Matt. 28. 20. among which we find in Luke 13. 24. "Strive to enter in at the ftraight gate." And in John 6. 27. "Labour for that meat which endureth unto everlafting life, &c." And in Matt. 19. 17. "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." And thus St. Paul inftructs Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world not only to believe on the Lord Jefus, but "That they be rich in good works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate; laying up (mark thefe words of the apoftle) in ftore for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim. 6, 18, 19. And Titus he charges to teach as "things which become found doctrine, that the aged men be fober, grave, temperate, found in faith, in charity, in patience; in all things fhewing himself a pattern of good works." Tit. 2. 1, 2. -But although the inconfiftency of the conclufions I decline drawing from the words of this writer, with the practice and direction of our Lord and his apoftles, may be, with me, a motive to think, that he never intended fuch conclufions fhould be drawn from them, those who are (and alas! there are too many) inclined to fubstitute a fruitless faith for obedience founded on belief, and to exclaim, as our Lord himself hath affured us many will, Lord! Lord!" and boaft of their acts of faith, yet keep not his words, may easily interpret this paffage into a recommendation of never dwelling on any thing, but the fatisfaction and the love of Chrift; until they raise in the breafts of their hearers a fanatical confidence, that a full perfuafion of the perfection of their redemption may fupply the want of "whatfoever things are true, whatsoever things are honeft, whatsoever things are juft, whatfoever things are pure, whatfoever things are lovely, whatfoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praife;" and fince their teachers uniformly pafs over fuch things in their discourses, imagine that they need not to think on these things."

When in the fame paragraph, this writer fays, "Neither fhall I recommend human ftrength to exert itself in acts of moral virtue towards its own falvation." And, "I fhall never direct the congregation to feek falvation partly by their own works, and partly by His. For this is a mongrel religion, unknown in fcripture, in direct oppofition as well to the law as to the Gofpel, and, literally, difowned by both." I cannot fuppofe that he means to teach, either that it is not the duty of a minifter of the Gospel to urge men to be careful to maintain good works, or not that of their hearers not to neglect any thing they can poffibly perform; because St. Paul has exprefsly written to one authorized to preach the Gofpel, "This is a faithful faying, and these things I will that thou affirm conftantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men." Tit. 3, 8. Because he has given an exhortation totally contrary to fuch doctrine: "Let us confider one another, to provoke unto love and good works." Heb. 10, 24.-Because our Lord himself, after recommending to his difciples the good work of the forgiveness of

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injuries, faid unto them, When ye fhall have done all these things which are commanded you, fay we are unprofitable fervants: we have done that which was our duty to do." Luke 17, 10. Because we are told Rom. 2, 6-10. in the plaineft terms that God "will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing feek for glory and honour, and immortality; eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteoufnefs; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every foul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew firft, and alfo of the Gentile: but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and alfo to the Gentile." And our divine Judge hath described himself as deciding the fate of those who shall in the last day, come before him, by this very criterion of their works: "Then fhall the King fay unto them on his right hand, Come ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirfly, and ye gave me drink: I was a ftranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was fick, and ye vifited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." St. Matt. 25, 34-36. And confonantly with this, His beloved difciple has cautioned us against mistaking the character which is of God, by saying, "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous.--Whofoever doeth not righteousness is not of God." 1 John 3, 7 and 10. Indeed fo directly contrary is this clergyman's statement to thofe of St. Peter and St. Paul, who encourage us to feek for glory and immortality by well doing, that I cannot but fuppofe that there is a typographical error in this part of his tract, and he wrote "Rely for falvation partly on their own works;" meaning only to teach, that there can be no merit in aught we do, however God may, for Christ's fake, be pleased to promise a reward to those who do, what they were by natural obligation bound to do, keep His commandments. For I must not believe, that he would ever call that a mongrel religion which Chrift and His apoftles have taught; that he could ever mean to fpeakin difparagement of good works, when he knows, that He in whom all his own hopes of falvation reft, "Gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works."-A foundation on which all the happiness promifed to this people refts, as the apoftle writes, "Neverthelets the foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this feal, the Lord knoweth them that are His.

(To be continued.)

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN,

THE following faithful narative of a very melancholy catastrophe is

entirely at your fervice, if it fhould be deemed worthy of a place in your invaluable Magazine. The fact itself, with all its circumftances, can be attefted by the moft refpectable authority: and it is communicated with no other view, than that of expofing the dangerous tendency of thofe gloomy doctrines, that are, at prefent, propagated by certain fanatical itinerants; who (there is but too much reafon to believe) are the tools and mifionaries of fome focieties of very questionable principles. A country

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