of the present Disquisition, that the sentiments he entertains in consequence of his diligent researches, without previously consulting any other author, correspond in so many respects with those of Mr. Locke, in his treatise on the reasonableness of Christianity; particularly in his conceptions respecting the punishment denounced against sin under the Jewish dispensation. In his paraphrase on the epistle to the Romans, v. 18, he has the following expression : "Therefore, as by. one's offence, (viz. Adam's eating the forbidden fruit,) all men fall under the condemnation of death; so, by one act of righteousness, (viz. Christ's obedience to death upon the cross,) all men are restored to life. For as, by one man's disobedience, many were brought into a state of mortality, which is the state of sinners; so, by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous, i. e. be restored to life again, as if they were not sinners.". He observes in a note, that "eternal life is no where, in sacred scripture, mentioned as the portion of all men, but only of the saints.

Dr. Taylor also has proved, with a force of argument which cannot be resisted, that the punishment of sin, is natural death. See his Key to the Romans.

Had either of these gentlemen pursued the subject to its due extent, this Disquisition would have been unnecessary. We may also refer to the arguments adduced in "the vindication of the honour of God," &c. as being satisfactory upon this point.

NOTE M.

After "magnitude of these perversions." Page 386.

In the course of our enquiries, we have had repeated

evidences that the divine Being, in his conduct towards his moral Offspring, always acts in a manner correspondent with the powers and faculties with which they are endowed, in connection with their freedom of Choice. They can pursue or shun, adopt or reject, use or abuse, every thing around them, and every faculty they enjoy. We have strong assurances that at an early period of human existence, mankind were endowed with a competent knowledge of their Maker, to enable them to serve him acceptably. But by giving the reins to wild conceits of their own, and by an affectation of wisdom, they finally "knew not God, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

A similar mode of conduct on the part of the Deity, and a similar abuse, are no less obvious respecting this new dispensation. When the Christian religion was first revealed to Man, it consisted of a few Principles, necessary to be known, and competent to make man wise unto salvation. But these principles were as seed sown in a field fertile in weeds of every description; which choaked the word, and rendered it infinitely less fruitful than if it had been sown in ground duly prepared for its reception. Ignorance, inveterate prejudices, and a disposition to pervert, were most inimical to its primitive simplicity. The Jewish converts were reluctant to forsake entirely the Religion of their forefathers; and they intermixed with Christianity some of the Jewish rites. The next step was to compel the Gentile converts to submit also to the same rites. When the Converts became numerous, Churches, or Christian communities, were established in different places. The members of these

communities brought with them their various prejudices and predilections. Some attempted to introduce idolatrous customs, eating meats consecrated to idols: others were even guilty of incest; others changed the commemoration of our Lord's death into festive intemperance: others quarrelled about the superiority of the gifts with which they had been endowed for their mutual edification; and forgetting the humility of their Lord and Master, sought preeminence according to the supposed dignity of their office; others manifested a contentious attachment to particular teachers, valuing themselves for being the disciples of Paul, Silas, Apollos; and excited warm animosities respecting some supposed differences in their

tenets.

*

The Apostles wrote to the different Churches, in order to correct these abuses as they arose. They reproved, exhorted, reasoned, and admonished, with a warmth and energy of language, well adapted to convince and persuade. Each Apostle conveyed his instructions in a style and manner peculiar to himself. Their language was, in general, well understood by the converts to whom their Epistles were addressed; but their varied phraseology has, in its turn, become a source of contention and animosity to subsequent converts; who, not attending to the particular state of the Christian churches, and ignorant of the force and idioms of language, have hastily drawn inferences from single expressions; and boldly established doctrines upon these inferences, which have multiplied to such an extent, that the primitive doctrines of Christ and his Apostles have lain completely buried under the loads of these adventitious materials. In the

23

age of the Apostles, the metaphysical notions of the Gnostics, deeply contaminated Christianity; and at a - subsequent period, the Platonic Philosophy excited commotions about the person of Christ: Until inveterate animosities were consecrated into pious zeal, and the most dreadful imprecations assumed the aspect of Orthodox Creeds!

"

In this statement modern Christians of every denomination must acquiesce. For to whatever sect or party they may belong, they suppose that their conceptions of the truth as it is in Jesus" are the most pure, and consequently that errors are multiplied, in exact proportion to the diversity of opinions which exist distinct from their own.

NOTE N.

After "most distressing to the human mind." Page 388. Although some polemical divines think it their duty to submit their reason to, what they deem to be, the revelation of God, yet they sometimes surrender this most invaluable gift with reluctance. But when they attempt to reason, it is in a manner which no logician will admit. They create principles, which they suppose will give the appearance of rationality to their favourite tenets. Thus, in order to vindicate the divine justice in the eternal misery of the wicked, they strenuously urge the infinite malignity of sin, in its being committed against an infinitely holy and perfect Being; and this renders it deserving of infinite punishment. It is upon this position that they erect the doctrine, that the infinite justice of God demands an infinite punishment for the sins which

have not been effaced by the infinite merits of Christ's atonement !

To expose the fallacy of these arbitrary assumptions to the due extent, would lead us far beyond the limits of A few remarks may suffice.

a note.

The malignancy of sin is a term in familiar use, in order duly to impress upon the mind a proper sense of its pernicious and detestable nature. Nor can that which is offensive to the Deity, and destructive of human happiness, be marked by too opprobrious a name. When this is the object, we aim not at philosophical precision, in our choice of words, but prefer the emphasis they possess, or their power to make an impression upon the affections, to the rules of rigid propriety. But in our researches after truth, it is of the first moment that we entertain accurate ideas of every term employed; much less can this accuracy be dispensed with, respecting an expression which constitutes the basis of our reasoning.

Malignant, malignancy, malignity, primarily relate to a malicious disposition, prompting its possessor to injure another, or to be gratified at the perception of his suffering evil. It is distinguished from the sudden resentments of passion, however violent, from its being deep, inveterate, permanent; deliberately disposing the mind to deeds of mischief. The terms are figuratively transferred from hence, to such causes of human misery as have a permanent character, and are extensive in their baneful influence, as malignant diseases, malignant atmospheres: astrologers speak of the stars as having a malignant aspect. The terms are seldom applied to