Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

this Apostle, and that very juftly, for his eminent Genius, his admirable Sagacity, ftrong Powers of Reafoning, acquired Learning, &c. They speak of him as a Writer-of mafterly Addrefs, of extensive Reach, and deep Design, every where in his Epiftles, almoft in every Word he fays. This looks exceeding Specious it carries a plausible Appearance of Chriftian Zeal, and Attachment to the holy Scriptures, in fuch a Teftimony of high Veneration for that great Apostle, who was not only the principal Inftrument of propagating Chriftianity, but with his own Hand wrote fo confiderable a Part of the New Teftament. And I am far from determining, with refpect at least to fome of thefe Writers, that they are not fincere in their Declarations, or that all is mere Artifice, only to make Way for the Reception of their own peculiar Sentiments. However, it tends greatly to fubferve fuch a Purpofe; as much as if it were definedly contrived, with the utmost Subtilty, for that End. Hereby their incautious Readers are prepared the more easily to be drawn into a Belief, that they, and others in their way of thinking, have not rightly understood many of thofe Things in this Apoftle's Writings, which before feemed very plain to them; and they are alfo prepared, by a Prepoffeffion in Favour of thefe new Writers, to entertain a favourable Thought of the Interpretations put by them upon the Words and Phrafes of this Apoftle; and to admit in many Paffages a Meaning which before lay entirely out of Sight; quite foreign to all that in the View of a common Reader feems to be their obvious Sense; and most remote from the Expofitions agreed in, by thofe which used to be esteemed the greatest Divines, and best Commentators. For they must know, that this Apostle being a Man of no vulgar Understanding, it is nothing Hh 2 ftrange

ftrange if his Meaning lies very deep; and no Wonder then, if the fuperficial Difcerning and Obfervation of vulgar Chriftians, or indeed of the Herd of common Divines, fuch as the Westminster-Affembly, &c. falls vaftly fhort of the Apoftle's Reach, and frequently does not enter into the true Spirit and Defign of Paul's Epiftles. They must understand, that the first Reformers, and Preachers and Expofitors in general, both before and fince the Reformation, for fifteen or fixteen Hundred Years paft, were too unlearned and short-fighted, to be capable of penetrating into the Sense, or fit to undertake the making Comments on the Writings of fo great a Man as this Apoftle; or elfe had dwelt in a Cave of Bigotry and Superflition, too gloomy to allow them to use their own Understandings with Freedom, in reading the Scripture. But at the fame Time, it must be understood, that there is risen up, now at length in this happy Age of Light and Liberty, a Set of Men, of a more free and generous Turn of Mind, a more inquifitive. Genius, and better Difcernment. By fuch Infinuations, they feek Advantage to their Caufe; and thus the most unreasonable and extravagant Interpretations of Scripture are palliated and recommended: So that, if the fimple Reader is not very much on his Guard, if he does not clearly fee with his own Eyes, or has too much Indolence, or too little Leifure, thoroughly to examine for himself (as few, alas, are willing to be at the Pains of acquainting themselves thoroughly with the Apostle's Writings, and of comparing one Part of them with another, fo as to be fully able to judge of these Gentlemen's Gloffes and Pretences) in this Cafe, he is in Danger of being imposed on with delufive Appearances; as he is prepared by this fair Pretext of exalting the Sagacity of the Apoftle,

and

and by a Parade of Learning, Criticifm, exact Verfion, Penetration into the true Scope, and Dif cerning of wonderful Connections, together with the Airs thefe Writers affume of dictatorial Peremptorinefs, and Contempt of old Opinions and old Expofitions; I fay, fuch an one is by thefe Things prepared to fwallow ftrange Doctrine, as trufting to the fuperiour Abilities of thefe modern Interpreters.

But I humbly conceive, their Interpretations, particularly of the Apostle Paul's Writings, though in fome Things ingenious, yet in many Things concerning these great Articles of Religion, are extremely abfurd, and demonftrably disagreeable, in the highest Degree, to his real Defign, to the Language he commonly uses, and to the Doctrines currently taught in his Epiftles. Their Criticifms, when examined, appear far more fubtile, than folid; and it seems as if Nothing can poffibly be ftrong enough, Nothing perfpicuous enough, in any Compofure whatever, to ftand before fuch Liberties as these Writers indulge: The plainest and most nervous Difcourfe is analyfed and criticized, till it diffolves into Nothing, or till it becomes a Thing of little Significance: The holy Scripture is fubtilized into a mere Mift; or made to evaporate into a thin Cloud, that eafily puts on any Shape, and is moved in any Direction, with a Puff of Wind, just as the Manager pleases. It is not in the Nature and Power of Language, to afford sufficient Defence against such an Art, fo abused; as, I imagine, a due Confideration of fome Things I have had Occafion in the preceding Difcourfe to obferve, may abundantly convince us.

But

But this, with the reft of what I have offered on this Subject of Original Sin, must be left to every candid Reader to judge of, for himself; and the Success of the whole muft now be left with GOD, who knows what is agreeable to his own Mind, and is able to make his own Truths prevail; however mysterious they may feem to the poor, partial, narrow, and extremely imperfect Views of Mortals, while looking through a cloudy and delufory Medium; and however difagreeable they may be to the innumerable Prejudices of Men's Hearts:-And who has promifed, that the Gofpel of CHRIST, fuch as is really his, fhall finally be victorious; and has affured us, that the Word which goeth out of his Mouth, fhall not return to him void, but fhall accomplish that which he pleaseth, and fhall profper in the Thing whereto be fends it.-Let GOD arife, and plead his own Caufe, and glorify his own great Name. AMEN.

THE END.

B. DAVENPORT, in Paternofter-Row.

I.

JEWI

EWISH ANTIQUITIES: or a Courfe of Lectures on the three firft Books of GODWIN's MOSES and AARON. To which is annexed, a DISSERTATION on the HEBREW LANGUAGE, by the late Rev. DAVID JENNINGS, D. D. Two Volumes in Octavo, Price 12 s.

II. OBSERVATIONS on divers Paffages of Scripture, placing many of them in a light altogether new, afcertaining the meaning of feveral not determinable by the Methods commonly made ufe of by the Learned, and propofing to Confideration probable Conjectures on others different from what have been hitherto recommended to the Attention of the Curious; grounded on Circumstances incidentally mentioned in Books of Voyages and Travels into the EAST. Relating 1. To the Weather of JUDEA. 2. Their living in Tents there. 3. Its Houfes and Cities. 4. The Diet of its Inhabitants, &c. 5. Their Manner of Travelling. 6. The Eaftern Methods of doing Perfons Honour. 7. Their Books. 8. The Natural, Civil and Military State of JUDEA. 9. ÆGYPT. 10. Mifcellaneous Matters. 8vo. Price 6s.

III. MEDITATIONS and Contemplations on the Sufferings of Chrift, in which the History of the Paffion, as given by the Four Evangelifts, is connected, harmonized, and explained, with fuitable Prayers and Offices of Devotion. By J. RAMBACH, D. D. late of the Univerfity of GIESSEN, with a recommendatory Preface by J. P. FRESENIUS. Illuftrated with a Set of Copper-plates, by GRIGNION, WALKER, &c. from the Designs of the best Mafters. Two Volumes in Octavo, Price 12 5.

IV. The GOSPEL MYSTERY of Sanctification opened in fundry Practical Difcourfes, fuited efpecially to the Care of those who labour under the Guilt and Power of indwelling Sin. To which are added a Sermon on Juftification, and the Table of the Texts illuftrated. By the Rev. WALTER MARSHALL. TO which is prefixed a recommendatory Preface by the late Rev. Mr. HERVEY, the Eighth Edition corrected, 3 s. Extract from It is with great Mr. HERVEY'S Dialogues, vol. iii. p. 336. "Pleasure and without any Diffidence that I refer Readers to "Mr. MARSHALL'S Treatife on Sanctification, which I fhall "not recommend in the Style of a Critic, nor like a Person of Tafie, but with all the Simplicity of the weakest Chriftian; I mean from my own Experience. It has been made one of "the most useful Books to my own Heart. I fcarce can fail

[ocr errors]

46

my

66
" to

« AnteriorContinuar »