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1744, Mr. A. says, was the first translation of a classical author, made in America ;" but George Sandys, treasurer of the Virginia company, translated Ovid's Metamorphoses in 1623. OGLETHORPE (JAMES), whose age is said by Mr. Allen to have been "ninety-seven," lived, it is believed, to the age of at least one hundred and three years.

We have observed the following Omissions.

BACKUS (CHARLES, D. D.) published a sermon at the Ordination of Freegrace Reynolds, 1795; sermons at the ordinations of Timothy Mather Cooley and of Joseph Russell, 1796; and five Discourses on the Truth and, Inspiration of the Bible, 1797. CLAP (THOMAS) published an essay on the nature and foundation of moral virtue and obligation, 1765.

HITCHCOCK (ENOS, D. D.) published an essay on the Lord's Supper.

MARSH (EBENEZER GRANT) published an oration" on the truth of the Mosaic History of the creation," delivered at the public commencement in New Haven, 1798.

PHILLIPS (SAMUEL) published, A Minister's Address to his People, 1739; and, The Sin of Suicide contrary to Nature, 1767. SMITH (JOSIAH) published a Sermon, entitled "The character, preaching, &c. of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield impartially represented and supported," 1740.

We have observed the following Inaccuracies.

Advocate, used as a verb, is an Americanism. If legitimate, it is offensive, recurring as it does here, with frequency. Avoca

tion is incorrectly used by the author for employment. "He followed till his death his accustomed avocation," p. 117, &c. Admirality for admiralty, p. 413. Obstruse for abstruse, p. 613.

Such phrases as the following, are not Attic: "His ordination took place;" "his death took place" &c. passim. "It was not always the case," p. 614. "It was well that he did,” p. 610. "For a length of time," p. 118. "A number of circumstances," p. 547. number of such remarkable correspondences," p. 113. number of years ago," p. 140. Absent a number of years,' p. 148." refused to assist in this thing," p. 489.

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In several instances, something is omitted, which ought to have been inserted to render the subject intelligible. "Squantohaving been carried off by Hunt in 1614," p. 160. No other notice is given of Hunt, in that connexion, if in the volume."Three hundred Indians came on from the other fort;"'p. 410. No notice but this is given of any other fort.-"Obbatinewagave them a promise of assistance against the squaw sachem," p. 87. No account is given of

the squaw sachem.

We object to a part of the title of this work. "A Summary of the History of the Several Colonies and of the United States"

is too promising. The reader expects more than he finds. The history of some of the colonies does not fill a single page; of others, not half a one.

A work, so complex and extensive as this, must have imperfections. That this has not more, is greatly to the honor of

the author's diligence and fidelity. A revision of it, with the advantage of his own scrutiny, the suggestions of friends, and additional materials, may render it a more finished production. Some characters may be omitted without detriment, and others advantageously introduced. The Spartan may, in some instances, seize his plunder with more adroitness, and conceal it with more dexterity. Were the author, whose style is generally neat and pure, to use the words of others less, his work would be more homogeneous, and more his own; and would therefore better stand the test of the statute laws of Athens, by which it will be tried, and the common law of Sparta, to which he himself has appealed.

Caution recommended in the application and use of scripture language, a Sermon preached July 15,1777, in the cathedral church of Carlisle, by W. Paley. Reprinted, Hilliard and Metcalf, 1809.

THIS little tract of only eleven pages could hardly be deemed worthy of consideration, did it not appear under the justly respected name of Dr. Paley. It

is to be lamented, that a regard to his reputation should not have prevented this old sermon; which has long slumbered in forgetfulness, from being brought again before the public; for that such a sermon, so contradictory to the articles of the church of England, should have been preached by one of the incumbents of that

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church, and in the audience of one of its bishops, is a circum. stance, which might perhaps overwhelm an honest and candid man with surprise.

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It is the design of this sermon to show, that certain titles, phrases, &c. found in the New Testament, which have generally been supposed to be applicable to Christians at the present day, or to express doctrines of perma. nent and unchanging truth, were in reality applicable solely to the situation of christianity at its first institution." The author introduces four illustrations of his principle. In his first illustration he says, that at the time the Scriptures were written baptism was only another name for conversion, because none were baptized but converts; and he then adverts to the impropriety, at the present day, of the synonymous use of those words. This caution was perhaps necessary a church, which says of every baptized infant, that it is, "regenerated with the Holy Spirit;" but how the preacher, a member of that church, should suggest this caution, and yet at every baptism be willing to read a service, which contradicted his own belief, is somewhat wonderful, if it is not singular. He does not seem, however, to be correct in his supposition, that the Scriptures use the word baptism in the same sense as conversion; for the passages quoted,* do not evince this, as any one will perceive, who will take the trouble to examine them. If he had said, that the fathers called baptism regeneration, his statement could not be denied.

* Mark xvi. 16; Acts xxii. 16; ii. 38; Titus iii. 5.

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Under his second illustra. tion, he considers the terms

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"elect", 66 called 99 " saints", and the phrases in Christ" a chosen generation, royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people," as used only to distinguish the professors of christianity from the rest of mankind, particularly from the heathens, and he asserts, that the same titles are now very obscure in their application to the whole body of Christians, because there is not a very perceptible union among them; and because they do not dwell among heathens, with whom they may be compar. ed. To apply these titles to individuals, or to a party, he says, is "extremely disgusting to the sober part of the professors of religion." In support of his position, he declares, that the word convert or converted may many places be substituted for the above mentioned words, or phrases, without any injury to the meaning. If the author means by a converted man one, who is renewed by the Spirit of God, and rescued from his natural selfishness, is rendered holy, there will be no controversy with him; but if he means, as it appears he does, merely a professor of christianity, his rule will be suf. ficiently tested by applying it to the following passages. "Do ye not know, that the saints [the professors] shall judge the world?""* "Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light."+"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" 66 sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus *1Cor. vi. 2. †Coloss. i. 12. ‡Rom. viii. 33. VOL. II. New Series.

Christ, and called." "The dead in Christ shall rise first." Similar passages might be multi. plied without end. Now let any

one substitute professors in the place of saints, &c. and say whether the absurdity, which would thus be introduced into the Scriptures, does not demonstrate the incorrectness of the principle, laid down by the preacher?

en.

In his third illustration he deavors to prove, that the words foreknow, predestinate, choose, elect, &c. relate only to a new society of men, who were to take the place of the rejected Jews, and not to individuals; and to the events of this life, and not to the final destiny of mankind. Upon this hypothesis perhaps the following passages would be obliged to undergo a transmutation in order to exhibit good sense. "Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image of his Son, them he also called and justified, and glorified." ""** Unless it be supposed that all who enjoy the new dispensation, that is, all professing Christians, are justified, and will be admitted to fu ture glory, how will any one, on the principle in question, vin. dicate the truth of this portion of Scripture? "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."++ "No man can come unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him." "Having predestinated us to the adoption

Jude 1.
** Rom. viii. 29, 30.
††Eph. i. 4. ‡‡ John vi. 44.

2F

of sons."*
"He hath mercy, on
whom he will have mercy, and
whom he will he hardeneth." +
Unless these passages, without
violating the rules of sober crit-
icism, can be reconciled to the
principles of the sermon be-
fore us, those principles must
be regarded as of little worth.

Our author says, indeed, that the absolute appointment to salvation or perdition, independent of ourselves or any thing we can do, lays the axe to the root of all religion; but if he had diligent-, ly considered the above recited passages, he would have found, that such a doctrine is not a doctrine of Scripture; for the sacred volume declares the means to be ordained as well as the end, and teaches that the "elect" are appointed to "do" something in this world as well as to inherit eternal life. If he had also made himself acquainted with the opinions of those, whom he was opposing, he would probably have discovered, that they did not admit any predestination, which was not supposed to conduct men to uprightness of conduct and benevolent exertions.

The fourth and last illustration is very similar to the second. Because the change from heathenism, or from the Jewish religion to christianity was great, and presented new prospects and inspired new hopes, therefore the authorsupposes, that the phrases

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new creature," new creation," born again of God and of the Spirit," &c. express only the reception of christianity, and have no reference to the agency of divine power in renewing the sinful heart. If it be asked, he says, what such expressions of

* Eph. i. 5. † Rom. ix. 18.

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Scripture mean; we answer, nothing; nothing, that is, to us; nothing to be found sought for in the present circumstances of christianity;"

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Yet this is the preacher, who at the close of his sermon, claims to be a minister, "not of his own fame or fancies, but of the sincere gospel of Jesus Christ!” Yet this is the vicar of Dalston, who by subscribing the articles of the church of England, had openly and explicitly declared his belief, "that original sin is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man-whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own na. ture inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary t the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world it deserveth God's wrath and damnation; and this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated, &c.," """ ""we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will;" "works, done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God;"-" predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those, whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honor. Wherefore they, which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called accord

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ing to God's purpose by his Spirit, working in due season."

&c.

In what light will the honesty and integrity of the man be considered, who subscribed these ar. ticles and yet printed the sermon under review? And was this man Mr. Paley, who has himself minutely explained, and forcibly inculcated the principles of moral rectitude, and who has demonstrated the truth of the Christian system? It was indeed Mr. Paley; but the sermon was published when he was a young man, before his patience of inquiry had brought him nearer to the truth, before his maturer observations and the lessons of ex. perience had made him think more correctly; and we may add, before the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus had made him free from the law of sin and death.

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In this sermon, printed first in 1777, he says that only to tura from heathenism to christianity was all that was meant by the phrases, to be dead to sin, and alive from the dead," to be born of the spirit" &c. and that these scripture expressions can. not be applied to men under the present circumstances of chris. tianity. But age, and we trust the grace of God, brought to him wisdom. After the revolution ofthir. ty years he was called from life, and he left behind him a volume of sermons, which has lately been presented to the public. In this volume, written, when the presumption of youth had pass66 says, death in St.

ed away,

he

Paul's epistles hardly ever signifies a natural death, to which men of all kinds are equally subjected; but it means a spiritual death, or that perdition and desstruction, to which sin brings men in a future state.' "" p. 291.

"With what but with the operation and the co-operation of the Spirit of God as of a real, efficient, powerful, active Being, can such expressions as the following be made to suit? "If so be, that the Spirit of God dwell in you." "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his." "Ye have received the Spirit of adoption." "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit." These passages either assert or assume the fact, namely, the existence and agency of such a Spirit; its agency, I mean, in and upon the human soul," p.303.

Thus speaks the aged Dr. Paley; but if young Mr. Paley had been asked in the year 1777, what was the meaning of the above recited passages of Scripture, whether they expressed any influence or agency of the Holy Spirit upon the sinful heart? He would have said, "No, they mean NOTHING!"

Why is this old sermon, which the author in his last days would have been ashamed to acknowledge, and which he must have wished to be suppressed on account of its errors, not to say of its most fatal perversion of religious truth; why is this old sermon just at this time repub. 'lished? We submit the question to the reflections of our readers.

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