Letters on Toleration; and in the Mis cellanea Sacra, and the Dissertations which accompany that interesting work, we are forcibly reminded of that just and cool, and candid mode of scriptural interpretation which pervades Mr. Locke's compositions on theological subjects; and he and his noble disciple have been the means of diffusing a very general spirit of free and scriptural criticism, which, though too often perverted, has been proved by experience to be well adapted to the more perfect apprehension of the meaning of Scripture, and which has consequently been cultivated among all classes of theologians. As his Lordship's attention was much directed to the study of divinity, he had a strong sense of the importance of free inquiry in matters of religion and it is needless to remind those who are acquainted with the writings which this edition of his works embraces, that whenever he advances any thing which is doubtful in his own estimation, or which his arguments do not conclusively establish, though they may have great weight, he always expresses himself with a becoming diffidence, the certain indication of a philosophical mind he never gives or requires a stronger assent to the conclusion than the premises will justly warrant. : "To the Miscellanea Sacra of Lord Barrington may justly be ascribed the origin of that useful and important work Benson's History of the Planting of Christianity,' in the course of which the author frequently acknowledges his obligations to his Lordship for many valuable suggestions."-pp. xx, xxi. "In taking a review of Lord Barrington's publications, our attention is claimed in the first place by his theological works, which will always remain the fairest and most durable monument of his literary reputation. Few writers in the last century possessed higher qualifications for the attainment of a profound and extensive knowledge of the Scriptures. Besides a deep sense of the importance of divine revelation, Lord Barrington had a mind richly furnished with classical literature and historical information; an intellect clear, alert, and highly disciplined in all the rules of severe and accurate argumentation; prompt in detecting fallacy, and skilful in exposing the points in which the reasonings of his opponent were weak or sophistical. Along with these high and rare endowments he possessed a style fit for the communication of his thoughts; chaste, sober, perspicuous, and flowing in the clear stream of unadorned reason, without any rhetorical embellishments whatever. 66 6 Though he appears by no means unacquainted with the writings of the most eminent commentators and divines, yet it is plain from his works that he relied most upon the attentive examination of the original text of the Scriptures; and by comparing spiritual things with spiritual,' and making the Bible its own interpreter, he was enabled to make those original and just observations and expositions which the attentive reader will find in almost every page of his work; and which, if they are not always convincing, are yet urged with so much ingenuity and modesty, that they cannot fail to encourage and assist the reader in pursuing the inquiry for himself: and it may safely be asserted that they will make the greatest advances in these most important and pleasing investigations, who resolve to pursue them by the same means and in the same spirit as the noble author, whose example may be advantageously proposed as a model to all those who desire to possess an accurate acquaintance with the meaning of the sacred writings."—pp. xxv, xxvi. Lord Barington's writings in support of civil and religious liberty, and in vindicating the rights of the Protestant Dissenters, are but very briefly noticed in this memoir. We wish it had been more extended, or that we could at present supply its deficiencies. If the reasoning in the following passage was forcible then, how much more conclusive must it be now. "In the Essay upon the interest of England, in respect of Protestant Dissenting,' &c. the author endeavoured to make it appear that it would be unjust and impolitic to pass any new laws unfavourable to the Dissenters, and, in particular, to prevent occasional conformity. He says: "I confess, if the Dissenters were all of them an inconsiderable parcel of people, poor and ignorant, without interest or influence; their being easy could do us no service, nor their uneasiness any hurt. But since a great many of the Dissenters are men of sense and substance, considerable by their monies vested in trade, and the share they have in the land of England, and who, with the assistance of the government, could make a considerable any of the little ends that the enemies stance. Some, who pretend to have published for the first time, re- dence with Lardner, in which these We cannot approve of this, highly as we venerate the character and talents of Barrington. We may only mention, in conclusion, that his Lordship's family We are surprised Mr. Townsend was numerous, and eminently takes no notice of Lord Barring- prosperous. None of them, howton's theological sentiments on ever, appear to have followed the several important points. On some nonconformity of their father. of his views respecting episco- Indeed this was scarcely to be pacy, he animadverts in a few expected. His youngest son was notes attached to the works, and successively Bishop of Llandaff, intimates his intention of under- Salisbury, and Durham, which taking its defence at another last bishopric he occupied during time. All this is unobjectionable; the long period of thirty-five years. though we do not agree with the Mr. Townsend experienced much Rev. Prebendary in some of his of his Lordship's kindness and positions, and considering all cir- patronage, and has subjoined to cumstances, are somewhat sur- his memoir of the father a short prised at the ground which he account of the son. The sketch takes. We regret, however, that of his Lordship's habits during he has passed unnoticed Lord the last years of his life, our Barrington's views, respecting the readers will be pleased to see, Divinity of our Lord and the in- we have therefore extracted it as termediate state. The correspon- a separate article. dence with Dr. Lardner, now THE CHARACTER AND LAST YEARS OF THE LATE BISHOP OF DURHAM. THE strictest regularity prevailed in his household. At seven in the morning he was awoke by his valet; and, after the time allotted to dressing, he devoted to private prayer, and devotional reading, the time which remained before the assembling of the family, for morning worship, at a quarter past nine. Breakfast was then served up. The conversation which had originated at breakfast, (and which generally arose from our informing each other of some remark, or incident, which appeared worthy of remembrance, in the reading of the morning,) sometimes continued till post-time, when the Bishop retired to read and answer his letters. He was attentive to business to the last; and generally wrote from two to nine letters daily, answering every letter, if possible, by return of post. If any communication required a more deliberate reply, he would favour me by fully discussing with me the subject of the letter. After finishing his letters, he received his morning visitors, or read till one o'clock; when luncheon, at which he was accustomed to take one mouthful of solid food, was served up. He then walked, or was driven out, for about two hours. the moment in which a new turn might be given to the dialogue, if there was the least discontinuance of animated and cheerful discussion. It generally happened that at every party one of the guests had been distinguished by some enterprise or pursuit; or excelled in some department of literature, or branch of art. Whatever might be the subject, the Bishop would imperceptibly lead the conversation to some matter connected with the pursuit, or department, in which his guest had attained eminence; and he so used to proceed with questions, remarks, or hints, that the enthusiasm of the traveller, the artist, the author, or the professor, was gradually kindled. The more eminent guest became the principal speaker: curiosity was excited, attention fixed, and information was elicited, without pedantry in the speaker, or fatigue to the hearer. When we dined alone we generally talked over the various controversies, which were engaging the attention of the public, the debates in Parliament, or the literature of the day. The Bishop took a lively interest in every proceeding relative to the great national question which still divides us; and I remember that he strenuously encouraged me in writing my reply to Mr. Butler's work : "The Book of the Roman Catholic Church." He had none of that apathy which is too frequently the misfortune of the aged, when they have not devoted their minds to intellectual pursuits. Literary curiosity, the comfort and refreshment of age, was an active principle in him to the last; and the love of literary novelty, next to devotion and benevolence, his ruling passion. Tea was brought in at half-past seven, and at eight the Bishop ended the day as he had begun it, by the perusal of devotional books, or by private meditation and prayer. I well remember his telling me that he considered it to be a part of his duty to God to devote to Him the remaining strength of his intellect, by dedicating to His service those hours in which the faculties of his mind were most active and for that reason he never gave his restless and sleepless hours, which at his advanced age were unavoidably numerous, to prayer, and to devotional exercises. He preferred giving up the prime of his day, and the remnant of his intellect to the Almighty; and he surrendered the dross of his time, such was his own forcible expression, to inferior subjects, to literary recollections; or to soothing remembrances of the friends he had lost, whose conversation he recollected with pleasure. At a quarter before ten, the family were summoned to evening prayer. A slight supper was then served, and at eleven the Bishop retired for the night. The pleasantest hours which I passed with my lamented friend, were those which elapsed between the removal of supper, and the entrance of the servant who attended him to his room. He was now ninety years of age, and he had long been accustomed to live in the constant anticipation of death. Every night he composed himself to rest; not expecting to live till the morning. The conversations therefore which we were accustomed to hold at this hour were always grave and serious, though uniformly cheerful. He regarded death, as a man of sound judgment, and Christian principles will ever do-without fear, and without rapture; with well founded hope, though with undefinable awe-as a punishment decreed by the Almighty, yet as the introduction to a higher state of happiness than he could possibly experience, (though he possessed every worldly enjoyment,) in this state of his being. Though our conversation was sometimes directed to the literary, or theological publications of the day, or to the actions, demeanour, or conduct, of his more distinguished contemporaries, of whom he related numerous, and most interesting anecdotes; yet the more frequent topics of our conversation were derived from the possible or probable approach of the period when the body should be committed to the ground, and the spirit return to its Maker. He delighted to dwell on these subjects. The questions which appeared to interest him more than any others, were-whether the soul slept in the grave, with the suspension of its faculties, till it awoke, with the re-animated body, in the morning of the resurrection —or whether, (as he steadfastly believed,) it passed in some mysterious manner into the more manifested presence of God immediately upon the dissolution of the body-the nature of the future happiness, and future misery the continuance of the existence of the mental habits which are formed in this state, and which constitute in some manner our future condition-the extent of redemption-and the opposite opinions of Christians, respecting the invisible state ;-these and similar considerations were were alternately discussed in these calm and silent hours; and he uniformly concluded these discussions by observing, "I know not, and I care not, what may be the real solu tion of these questions; I am in the hands of a merciful God, and I resign myself to His will, with hope, and patience." All our inquiries indeed upon these subjects, though they may be very interesting, are merely speculative, and are always unsatisfactory. We cannot raise the veil which conceals the future. We must die before we can understand death; yet the sight of an old man, full of days, riches, and honours, at the close of a religious, and well-spent life, patiently expecting his end, abounding in every virtue which can adorn mankind—in humility, in patience, in kindness, in charity to all, in serene submission to expected death, in implicit dependence upon the mercy of a God, whom he believed to be his Friend, and Father, by the atonement, which had been accomplished by the Mediator of the New Testament the image of such a man can never be obliterated from my memory; and the continued enjoyment of his conversation, till within a few weeks of his death, while the strength of his body was gradually declining, and the intellectual, though not the spiritual powers, were decaying; that is, while he was beginning to be more averse to worldly business, and more intent upon devotional exercises, was a privilege which I cannot too much appreciate, and which may be justly envied by all who can delight in the society of the wise and good; or who would contemplate the triumph of the spirit of man, over the weakness of the mind, and the infirmities of the body. MEMOIRS OF THE CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE THREE HEAVENLY WITNESSES. 1 JOHN v. 7. (Continued from page 16.) and Coventry, who distinguished himself both in the Arian Controversy, and in that with Woolston. He was not disposed to adopt the views of Emlyn, nor was SOME time after the publication of Dr. Calamy's Discourses, an anonymous tract appeared on the same side, with the following title, "An Inquiry into the Authority of the Primitive Complutensian he satisfied with the defence of Edition of the New Testament, as principally founded on the most Ancient Vatican MS., together with some Research of that Manuscript; in order to decide the Dispute about 1 John v. 7. In a Letter to the Rev. Mr. Archdeacon Bentley, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, 1722." My copy of this pamphlet is contained in Lord Somers's Collection of Tracts, in which it was reprinted, without mentioning the date of the original edition, or the name of the author. The writer of the tract was Smalbroke, Bishop of Lichfield N. S. No. 50. the passage by Martin. Yet he alleges very little that is new on the subject. His whole argument is founded on the supposition, that the Complutensian Editors inserted the passage from the Vatican manuscript. Hence, he expresses his strong desire, that this manuscript should be sought out and re-examined. Should it be found not to contain the disputed text, he admits it would confute the reasonings of his essay; but contends, that it still would not follow that the passage was spurious. The following extract contains his argument. L |