-Affording himself, to all editors of Sacred Scripture, an awful warning, and a striking leffon, taught by the Apostle in the ensuing verfe 4, of the faid chapter:

- Τελο δε λεγω, ἵνα μη τις ύμας παραλογίζεται εν πιθανολογικο

-

or

“But this I fay, that no one might impofe on you by fpecious reafoning," fuch fallacies as Logicians call "paralogifms," for the Apoftle ufes the verb παραλοίζομαι plainly in the technical fenfe, Being himself admirably skilled in ancient dialectics; and all fophifms are indeed reducible to paralogifms, or faulty arguments, either in the expreffion, or in the sense; of which even this fummary inspection has furnished some glaring inftances in both kinds.

66

XVII. Such is the noftri farrago libelli the strange medley" of variations, contradictions, real inconfiftencies and downright abfurdities, gleaned with a sparing hand from the motley pages of French Philofophifm, German Illuminism, and R 3 Eng life

English Unitarianifm, and reduced to a small focus of illustration and comparison, in "our" honest, and I trust not illiberal "Satire,❞—in which I have fcrupulously endeavoured-as I fhall render an account of my Inspectorship before the great SEARCHER OF HEARTS

Nothing to extenuate;

Nor fet down aught in malice:"

not fcrupling to infpect the failings of the Orthodox, no less than the offences of the Heterodox; divefting myself, as much as poffible, of all undue prepoffeffions for the former, and prejudices against the latter. -Even these few pages, or extracts of infidelity, may furnish alarming internal evidence, to corroborate the teftimony of those truly refpectable witnesses, Barruel and Robifon- touching the tremendous existence and wide fpread of that Syftematic confpiracy to "crush" Christianity, planned by the arch infidel Voltaire, and executed in its various departments by his confederates and emiffaries, and dif

ciples;

ciples;-many of whom, it is charitably to be hoped, will not finally be rejected by that JESUS OF NAZARETH, whom "they perfecuted;"- and for whom, I truft, his prayer and apology, breathed forth during his fharpeft agonies on the Crofs

FATHER, FORGIVE THEM! FOR THEY KNOW
NOT WHAT THEY DO."

may be found effectual, at the last day, "to cover "-" their involuntary fins, negligences and ignorances."

If I have spoken, at any time, with severity of fome of the highest names in the Republic of Letters-be it not imputed to overweening conceit or malignant depreciation of their well earned fame;-but only to an ardent wish to remove from ERROR the mischievous weight of their undue authority; and to that "virtuous indignation" which even JESUS Christ, and his Apoftles, did not reprefs, upon great and folemn occafions; and which it is perhaps impoffible for human nature

to

to ftifle, without lying unto Gon ABOVE,”—and “ quenching" the HOLY SPIRIT," and "denying THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, who redeemed us with his precious blood;❞—and incurring the guilt of that "fear of man, which bringeth a fnare."

Nor can they, on whom the greatest feverity of animadverfion has fallen, reafonably complain, if they be " condemned out of their own mouths," or brought "to confute each other."- Scarcely any but retorted cenfures will be found in the courfe of fo laborious, difficult, and trying an Inspection, as the fcrutinizer of this will find it to be;-and I fhall conclude it with that "warning voice," addressed by Wakefield to the Clergy of the Church of England of whom I am one from choice-as approaching the nearest (n) of I have been hitherto able to infpect,

any

--

towards

(n) In the prefent day of " trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy," when the Articles of the Eftablished Church are "every-where Spoken against," it

may

towards the pure model of the Evangelical Church, and now retorted on himself, and on the Philofophizing Church in general; with 'earneftnefs mingled with compaffion,

may not be fuperfluous to remark, that they were originally intended as Articles of Separation from the groffer errors of the Church of Rome, and of wide and liberal accommodation to the principal Reformed Churches, still ftrongly tinctured with the dogmas of Romanifm, infeveral inferior points. But they are founded on the glorious principle of PROTESTANTISM,-the right of private judgment in matters of faith—and disclaiming human infallibility; - profefs to be built upon the rock of HOLY WRIT-containing therein the feeds of gradual reformation from time to time, according as the Scriptures come to be better understood; and thence tacitly recommending fober, cautious, and fkilful criticism of the Original Scriptures, as the ground thereof.-As will appear from the following:

Art. 6. "HOLY SCRIPTURE Containeth all things neceffary to falvation: fo that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it fhould be believed as an article of the faith, or be thought requifite or neceffary to falvation."

Art. 8. "The three creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanafius's Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles' Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed;