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have existed; that Griesbach is the leader and Knapp the follower: still we affirm, that as Griesbach had all the ardor and adventurous boldness of a first discoverer, as he had an immense mass of materials to arrange and examine, as he was walking in an untrodden path, as it was impossible for him accurately to weigh and to contemplate in all their bearings all the principles on which he acted; -Knapp, who came after him, and had all the advantage of his previous labors, who walked in a path that was already cleared, and made use of materials that were already collected, and acted on principles that had been sufficiently tested, and proceeded with so much caution and skill and conscientiousness, is a much safer guide, has given us a more faultless text, than Griesbach; and in this opiniou we think we are supported by the reason of the thing and the judgement of the German public. The question is not, Who performed the most labor? Who led the way? Who has the most merit?—but the simple inquiry is, Who has come to the most accurate result?

We have several reasons for concluding that the attempt to crowd Griesbach on to the religious public, at the present time, is premature. (We speak here of the public at large; professed scholars ought to have a critical Testament.)

1. Facts are now so rapidly accumulating, in regard to the text of the New Testament, by the researches of travellers and scholars, that we are not yet authorized to present a new standard text.

2. Most of the investigations, which have been made since Griesbach's time, have tended to bring the text nearer than he left it, to the received text.

3. With two or three exceptions, the alterations, which Griesbach proposes, are so very slight, that we need be in no haste about a change.

4. It is best not to attempt so important an innovation until we are quite sure that it is necessary.

TESTIMONY OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN FATHERS TO THE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES.

Extracted from Wilson's Lectures on the Evidences of Christianity.

"WHAT, then, do the Fathers declare as to the opinion of the church, in the first centuries, on the subject of the inspiration of the Scriptures?

1. First, as the sacred writers of the New Testament cited passages from the Old Testament with the solemn title of SCRIPTURE, without any addition, as expressive of the inspiration of the books of the Jewish canon; so the Christian Fathers, coeval with the apostles, constantly quote the writings of the New Testament under the same name.

2. Again, the other titles which they familiarly attribute to the New Testament, almost all imply their divine inspiration. They call them, "The Word of God, The Voice of God, The Oracles of Heaven, The Oracles of the Holy Ghost," and especially they apply to them the expression which we have already noticed, as containing the sum of the whole argument, papà vos divinely inspired scripture.

3. Further, the distinction which the ancient Fathers made between canonical and apocryphal books, turned on this very point of inspiration. They accounted other writings, however true upon the whole and edifying, not canonical, because not inspired by the Holy Ghost.

4. Then, as to the innumerable passages in which they speak their own sentiments, and that of the church, on the subject,

Hear, first, Clemens Romanus, Bishop of Rome, (Ă. D. 91— 110,) a contemporary with the apostles, to whom we have frequently referred already. "The apostles," says he, "preached the gospel, being filled with the Holy Ghost-the Scriptures are the true words of the Spirit-Paul wrote to the Corinthians things true by the aid of the Spirit-he, being divinely inspired, admonished them, by an epistle, concerning himself and Cephas and Apollos."

Justin Martyr (A. D. 89—164) says, that "the gospels were written by men full of the Holy Ghost."

Irenæus (A. D. 97-202) declares that "all the apostles received the gospel by divine revelation-that the scriptures were dictated by the Spirit of God-and that therefore it is wickedness to contradict them, and sacrilege to make any alteration in them."

Theophilus, (A. D. 168-181,) citing the authors of the Old and New Testament, says, "that both the one and the other spake, being inspired by one and the same Spirit."

"These things," he also observes, "the Holy Scriptures teach us, and all who were moved by the Holy Spirit." Clemens Alexandrinus (A. D. 191) says, "that the whole Scriptures are the law of God, and that they are all divine, and that the evangelists and apostles wrote by the same Spirit that inspired the apostles."

Tertullian, (A. D. 150-220,) in several passages, attributes the Scriptures to the Spirit, and once expressly says, that "the majesty of the Holy Ghost suggested what St. Paul wrote."

Origen (A. D. 230) teaches, that "the Scriptures proceeded from the Holy Spirit, that there is not one tittle in them, but what expresses a divine wisdom, that there is nothing in the law, or the prophets, or the gospels, or the epistles, which did not proceed from the fulness of the Spirit, that we ought, with all the faithful, to say, that the Scriptures are divinely inspired; that the gospels are admitted as divine in all the churches of God, and that the Scriptures are no other than the organs of God."

The Emperor Constantine wrote unto the Council of Nice, (A. D. 323,) and called the Scriptures, "the doctrine of the Holy Ghost in writing." "that they

An ancient writer in Eusebius, (A. D. 315,) says,

who corrupt the sacred Scriptures, either do not believe that the Holy Spirit uttered the divine Scriptures, and then they are infidels; or think themselves wiser than the Spirit, and so seem to be pos sessed."

Can it be necessary to pursue our quotations further? Can any thing be more clear than the inference from such testimony? In short, to admit the full divine inspiration of the New Testament was, in the early church, the test of Christianity."

MORE EVIDENCE OF CONCEALMENT.

Extracted from a "Memoir of Rev. S. C. Thatcher," by Rev. F. W. P. Greenwood.

Or the Sermon by Mr. Thatcher, at the Dedication of the New South Church, entitled, "An Apology for Rational and Evangelical Christianity," Mr. Greenwood observes, "It (the Sermon) became a general topic of conversation and while by one portion of readers it was praised, as an able and lucid exposition of liberal and intelligible Christianity, and a calm and manly defence of those who had embraced such a faith, it was denounced by another portion, as advancing principles subversive of what they called the peculiar and fundamental doctrines of the gospel. The weak were alarmed at they knew not what; the bigotted were surprised at the avowal of nonconformity; the cautious shook their heads and intimated their doubts; while they who had observed the signs of the times, and who knew what they believed, rejoiced that the time had arrived, when religious opinions could be fairly and openly discussed, when reason was to be permitted to come out into the light, and men could maintain that their minds were their own."

After finding some fault with the discourse, as speaking "too much in the tone of apology and confession," Mr. Greenwood proceeds, "If these peculiarities of opinion" (the peculiarities of Unitarianism)" existed, they ought to have been known. It was best for all sides that they should be known, and that an end should be put to a state of things which was an improper, a disagreeable, and from its nature a temporary one. The time may be easily remembered when, in our religious world, there was nothing but distrust on the one side, and fear and EVASION on the other; when the self-conceited theologue looked awry on the suspected heretic, and the object of his suspicion answered him with circumlocution and hesitation. THERE IS NO DENYING THAT THIS WAS THE FACT. And how much better is it that there has been a change, and that we can now use language, as it was meant to be used, for the expression of ideas! And again it may be asked, How is truth ever to be known, if her face is al

* This Sermon was delivered near the commencement of the year 1815, a short time previous to the publication of the pamphlet entitled "American Unitarianism."

ways to be kept under a veil? How are we to expect that our opinions are to be received or respected, if they are studiously thrust aside, and into the shade, as if we were ashamed of them? pp. 34— 36.

RECENT PUBLIC ATIONS.

1. A Letter to Wm. E. Channing, D. D., on the subject of Religious Liberty. By Moses Stuart, Professor of Sacred Literature in the Theological Seminary, Andover. Boston: Perkins & Marvin. 1830. pp. 52.

We purposely defer an extended notice of this publication-one of the most important which has recently appeared, and for which the author is entitled to our warmest thanks-until the individual to whom it is addressed shall have had sufficient opportunity to reply. The following extracts will give our readers some idea of the object and spirit of the work-a work which, we cannot doubt, will have a rapid and extensive circulation.

"You (Dr. Channing) have given your name to the world as the author of accusations, that we are aiming to subvert and destroy the religious liberty of this Commonwealth; that we are combined to put down all free inquiry in matters of religion; that we are endeavoring, in secret and openly, to introduce an ecclesiastical tyranny worse than that of the Inquisition; that we are determined to raise up ecclesiastical Courts to try, condemn, and punish all whom we deem to be heretics; and thus to prevent all right of private judgement, and all freedom in respect to religious opinion." "I do know that the accusations which you stand pledged to support are NOT TRUE. I aver that THEY ARE NOT, before heaven and earth. That they are accusations of a hurtful tendency, need not be said. They go to destroy all respect for us, all confidence in us, all prospects of our usefulness in society or in the church, just so far as you are believed; and to render us the objects of suspicion, of scorn, and of hatred. As injured men, as injured in a manner that is highly unjust and cruel, we call on you either for réparation, or else to support your charges." "On every ground of equity, you must either support the charges which you have made, as to facts; or take them back; or else stand before the public as one who has abused and maltreated his fellow beings."

"Sir, we have borne these charges in silence long enough-so long that not a few of your friends begin to aver, that silence gives consent to the truth of them." "There are boundaries beyond which it is not the duty of the peaceful and the inoffensive to go, in tolerating abuse of this nature without demanding a reparation. We have come to those bounds. We allege before the world that we have been slandered and abused by your writings; we appeal to the particulars; we offer the evidence; and we now appeal to every honest and candid man of any party, to judge whether we have not supported our charge, that you have made and often repeated such accusations against us.' "My belief is, that you cannot make your charges good, against any man in this State who bears the name of Orthodox." "I have the pleasure of a personal acquaintance somewhat extensive, among the men who are active in promoting the interests of Orthodoxy in Massachusetts. I know that you have wronged them, and that you are utterly unable to support these charges."

"The Orthodox are not insensible to what their fellow beings think and say of them. Far from this." "They know when they are maltreated. They know when their rights are denied under cover of law; when they are excluded from

the literary and civil privileges and offices of the State; when they are jeered at in private circles, and pointed at with the finger of scorn in public. With all this they have borne, and borne long; I do not say that they have always done this with such patience and meekness as became them. I am afraid that this is not the case. But depend on it, Sir, there is a secret flame kindled in this Commonwealth, by such measures as I have named above on your part and that of your friends, which, though smothered long, cannot always be smothered. Justice, and fairness, and equality of rights, must at last become the order of the day. Well will it be for the peace of this community, if the season when this shall take place should not be long protracted. There is always danger in a smothered sense of injustice and oppression; above all when this is the fact with respect to great numbers who belong to the leading class of men in the community; danger to those who feel it, as well as to others. May Heaven avert its consequences from our beloved Commonwealth !"

2. The History of the Old South Church in Boston; in four Sermons, delivered May 9, and 16, 1830, being the first and second Sabbaths after the completion of a century from the first occupancy of the present Meeting House. By Benjamin B. Wisner, Pastor of the Church. Boston Crocker & Brewster. pp. 122.

A Review of these elaborate Discourses, and the Notes, which occupy nearly half the publication, may be expected in a future number.

3. The Works of that eminent Servant of Christ, John Bunyan, Minister of the Gospel, and formerly Pastor of a Congregation at Bedford. In three Volumes. New Haven: Nathan Whiting. 1830.

4. The Christian, contemplated in a Course of Lectures, delivered in Argyle Chapel, Bath. By William Jay. Second American EdiBoston Lincoln & Edmands. 1830. pp. 432.

tion.

In these Lectures the Christian is exhibited-" in Christ”—" in the Closet""in the Family"-" in the Church"-" in the World"-" in Prosperity"—" in Adversity”—“ in his Spiritual Sorrows"-" in his Spiritual Joys"—" in Death" "in the Grave"-" in Heaven." This work is in the usual animated and almost inimitable style of Mr. Jay, and it is sufficient evidence of the estimation in which it is held, that it has already passed to a second American Edition.

5. A Discourse on Preaching the Word, delivered in the Chapel of the Theological Seminary, Andover, Mass. and published at the request of the Students. By Edward W. Hooker. Andover : Mark Newman. 1830. pp. 40.

"The object of this Discourse is to urge the importance of preaching THE WORD,-in distinction from preaching philosophy, "giving heed to fables," "turning aside into vain jangling," "doting about questions and strifes of words," and engaging in foolish and unprofitable speculations. The Sermon contains many seasonable and excellent remarks.

6. Three Sermons, on the Obligations, Duties, and Blessings of the Sabbath; to which are added, Remarks on the Report made to the House of Representatives of the United States, March, 1830, on Sabbath Mails. By Charles Jenkins, Pastor of the Third Congregational Church, Portland, Me. Portland: Shirley, Hyde & Co. 1830. pp. 116.

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