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concupiscence," to deceive and to destroy. He ascribes the misconduct of the Jew without the aid of the gospel, to the delusions of sin, and endeavours to lay the whole weight of his guilt on this enemy, just as Eve attempted to lay the burden of hers upon the serpent. As she excused her misconduct by attributing it to the deceptions of the serpent, so he apologizes for his transgressions of the Mosaic law, by ascribing them to the delusive influence and uncontroulable power of sin. Thus, under the simile of his own person quite deluded and overcome by this internal enemy, he represents the corrupt state of the Jewish nation, maintains that it is desperate and unavoidable, and, consequently, that the new dispensation of the gospel was necessary to effect their deliverance from its power; in like manner as the special favour of God was necessary to effect the deliverance of our first parents from the consequences of the guilt into which they had been betrayed, no doubt by the same principle of delusion. As the apostle, in his unconverted state, personates the Jewish nation, so the primitive pair may be conceived as personating their race in that moral imbecility which appertains to the first stages of their social existence. It is possible that Eve's youthful fancy may have actually attributed to a serpent the artful suggestions which were in reality the work of her own imagination, just as the solitary Laplander imagines that his rein-deer can understand his discourse, and that his cat has the power of predicting future events. mitting that the story might originate But adin this way, it is, nevertheless, wrought into as regular an allegory as any of the other dialogues with the principle of evil, recorded in the Scriptures; and as it terminates in a divine interposition of high importance, I can see no reason why it is not entitled to the like credit and respect which is paid to the analogous passages in any other portions of the Sacred Writings; and particularly to that of the temptation of Jesus, to which it bears precisely that resemblance which appertains to the same species of allegory, with such differences only as correspond with the differences of characters, circumstances and results. In these allego

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ries, moral phenomena are represented by visible scenery and dialogue; and the serpent is selected as the emblem of moral evil or its causes; its grovelling nature, its sly, insiuuating movements and its venomous bite, being apt symbols of vice. It has been the allotment of this and the two preceding chapters of Genesis to be treated with a degree of slight, as traditionary and involved in obscurity, if not in fable, by some late respectable writers. But they are not so represented any where in the Sacred Writings; and from the allusions made to them, which are not infrequent, they appear evidently to have been regarded as genuine accounts of extraordinary divine interpositions. And after all that has been objected, I must still confess myself an admirer of these primæval records, which, with a simplicity adapted to the occasion, acquaint us with the prominent circumstances of the creation, in reference to mankind and the inhabitants of this earth, and with those which relate to the introduction of moral evil. Surely it is reasonable to conclude that a divine care, if I sion, must have superintended the may be allowed the expresrecords of these in common with all the other extraordinary divine interpositions.

IN

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T. P.

SIR,
March, 1822.
N my last [p. 65] I committed a
of Mr. Hume.
trifling error in quoting the words
Instead of writing,
"all reasoning from the relation of
written, "all reasoning from the rela-
causes and effects," &c., I should have
tion of cause and effect," &c.

nity to say another word on the nature
I will avail myself of this opportu-
of this relation.
whether the constant conjunction of
The question is,
exists between them a necessary con-
cause and effect implies that there
nexion. I contend that it does. The
conjunction under consideration must
either be fortuitous or necessary.* If

junction between cause and effect is arbi-
I am aware that a third hypothesis
trary, depending on the pleasure of the
may be formed, namely, that the con-
Deity, by whose energy the effect is pro-
duced. But as this hypothesis would

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A vesirous of aormation DEC?BE HAS A e inte vach I KAO "O CORAMIente je s velcome 13, ant that imte vil mesm the Greek vonextert of “he assige one. If the sense vere, Lovest dion ae more than these?" the Greek meht to have been, ayasi; SAE BACCH TOTE: I recollect but one passage in which u seems to be used as a contradistinctive, and that is Eur. Phoeniss. 447, TAUTZI TINY ME, KUI TE, con soon time, but here it is easy to read w20721 wwver CE xque xa BATAY wów. See Eschylus Sept. contra Theb. v. 240. But to return to the passage under consideration; suppose the sense to be, "Lovest thou me more than these love me?" the Greek it he teme It does indeed is correct, and may be compared with il, tok # mong bus true for any the following passage of Aristophanes: Hot του και μια μέρα του για τους τα Πλυτα παρεχω βελτιονας άνδρας, four pop tahorance is not on the construction of which is precisely *ition of possibility. Mr. similar, and the pronoun is not insertI think, ways, that this proposed as the nominative to maze. Flors will must tap to morwot involves a contrepliction wh the extruded fufauce

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ledge, and training private characters for becoming public benefactors at Manchester, has encouraged me to -address you on a subject that may, through a divine blessing, be useful."

I have lately been at Clifton. The secession of a Reverend Gentleman - from the Established Church naturally afforded matter for conversation. Among other topics was, the opportunity thus furnished for opening a place of worship, in which a reformed Liturgy might be used. I do not consider myself competent to argue the question, which on the whole is best, extempore prayer or a printed form; but I know from experience, that those who have long been accustomed to a Liturgy do not derive the same comforts, from the minister delivering a prayer, however pious, however ap

connexions of the Reverend Gentleman to whom I have before referred, except from report that they are highly respectable, or I should have been anxious whilst in the neighbourhood to have inquired, whether there might not some steps be taken for making the attempt I have suggested.. It occurred to me that, through the medium of your Repository, the subject might meet the eye and awaken the attention of those who might be competent to determine the expediency of the measure I have proposed. If good is effected, my design is answered; if nothing follows, I shall have acted as my conscience directed. I. P.

SIR,

Torquay, January 8, 1822.

propriate, they would have done, had WE are taught in Scripture that

they been able to have accompanied him with the fixed attention a printed form excites.

Far be it from my intention to detract from the admirable method in which the religious services are conducted at Lewin's Mead. I cannot sufficiently praise the zeal, the piety and the judgment shewn by the pastors of that congregation. It is not to oppose, it is to strengthen their hands that this letter is written. I do not know what are their ideas on the use of Liturgies. Nor have I any information, whether the gentleman who has joined the Unitarians would like either to reside in Bristol, or to undertake the formation of a religious society resembling that in Essex Street. I purely narrate the subjects that interested my mind when conversing with those who knew the respectability of his character, the importance of his connexions and the want of a place of worship where those persons might assemble who are dissatisfied with the Liturgy of the Established Church, and do not like to unite where extempore prayer is carried on. Many such I believe visit Clifton, and many others would join if a proper attempt were made for combining devotion with fervour, instruction with liberality, and truth with freedom of investigation.

I am not acquainted with the wealthy among the Bristol Dissenters; I know nothing of the inclination of the lower classes there, nor of the immediate

"Christ died for our sins,"

that "we have redemption, that is, remission of sins by his blood," that

66

we are reconciled to God by the death of his Son," and many other expressions are used of similar import. That words like these convey something very interesting and remarkable must be admitted by all, and there is a plainness and simplicity about them which might seem to preclude much diversity of opinion in regard to their interpretation. Yet we know that the fact is very different, and that there are few parts of scripture doctrine about which Christians are more divided.

All must allow that we may learn from them as much as this, that the end for which our Lord died was that sins might be forgiven; and, on the other hand, that the forgiveness of sins was in some sense dependent on his death. The only question, therefore, is, in what way our Lord's death promoted this end; in what way the forgiveness of sins depended on his death. Unitarians in general seem disposed to understand the matter in this way: That the death of Jesus Christ was a strong testimony to the truth of his doctrine, and a powerful incitement to repentance and virtue; that, therefore, so far as men are convinced by it of the truth of his religion, and in this way led by it to repentance and virtue; since forgiveness of sins is promised to these, it becomes the means or cause of forgiveness. In

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the same sense, of course, every powerful advocate of the cause of truth and righteousness, nay the Bible itself, or any other book which is efficacious in awakening sinners to repentance, may be said to effect our redemption, and be a propitiation for our sins.

In this view the death of Christ has only an indirect or remote connexion with the forgiveness of sins, not an It is thus: The immediate one. death of Christ promotes repentance, repentance will procure forgiveness, and thus the death of Christ procures forgiveness. Moreover, according to this view, no man owes his pardon to the death of Christ, in any other light than as the occasion of that repentance and amendment which have immediately procured that pardon. If I mistake not, this is a fair representation of the prevailing opinion of Unitarians on this subject.

In proceeding to consider the justhess of this opinion, I may first observe, that it must be allowed that it is quite true as far as it goes: I mean, that the death of Christ does in part procure forgiveness through the means of producing repentance, to which it is so powerful an incentive. But is not this too limited a view of its efficacy, and has it not a more direct and immediate connexion with the forgiveness of sins? Is it only in consideration of the repentance which in any case it has actually wrought in us, that we can be said to have forgiveness through the death of Christ? Now, if we consider what the Scriptures say on this subject, we may observe generally, that the connexion which they mention is immediate and direct, and neither do the sacred writers explain their meaning in the way we are considering, nor does their language bear to be so explained without a degree of violence. The best way to be sensible of this, is to consider how peculiar the language is which is used concerning Christ, and how different from any that is applied to any "Christ other prophet or preacher. died for our sins,-for the remission of our sins." It is to me a violent straining of language to say, this means only that he died to convince us of the truth, or to move us to repentance. But especially, the frequent illustration of the death of the Lord, by allusion to the sacrifices, is inconsistent

with this interpretation, inasmuch as the pardons which the sacrifices procured, followed immediately on the performance of them, and was obviously independent of any change of mind previously wrought, by the rite, upon the worshiper. So far, then, as the efficacy of our Lord's death has any analogy with that of sacrifices, it must be immediate, and not dependant on the repentance which it may have been the means of producing.

Here no doubt we

In what way then does the death of Christ lead to the remission of sins? This is not a necessary inquiry, neither can we find any formal answer to it in the Scripture. We there find the immediate connexion between these two things strongly, repeatedly and variously asserted, and brought forward as a great and prominent truth of the Gospel. We see that it was that way of reconciliation which it pleased the Father to appoint, and we have general views given us of the intention of that appointment in such words as these: "That God might be just and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." It is also said, "He gave himself for us, that he might purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." see the general objects, in its tendency to promote which, the efficacy of the death of Christ, as a propitiation for sins, consisted. Its tendency to promote a just sense of the Divine authority, and a deep and lasting repentance in those whose sins are forgiven, we may thus presume to be the principal grounds of its propitiatory virtue: but yet this virtue is something very different from that of a testimony to the truth, or a pattern of righteousness. They may be said to procure remission of sins indirectly, through the means of such repentance as they may have occasioned; but this immediately, as a consideration influencing the mind of God, and that in regard to the repentance and holiness, which, in a It is rather more extensive view, it is calculated to promote and ensure. as a security for the future, than as the cause of what is past, that it has this efficacy.

I have thus endeavoured to shew, that the death of Christ was something beyond a testimony to the truth, or an example of righteousness; that it was truly a propitiation for sins; that

is, that it was appointed by God, as what would be, besides the repentance of the sinner, a proper provision or preparation for forgiveness. I hope I shall not be thought to imply that any thing was wanting to give efficacy to repentance. Far from it; but he who forgives the penitent may certainly prescribe the terms and mode of reconciliation. That I have advanced nothing in favour of the doctrine of satisfaction by vicarious punishment, is, I trust, evident. To conclude, let me use this illustration: A father has many children, all of whom but one have joined in an act of disobedience, and, moreover, ill-treated the dutiful child for his singularity: they become sorry for their fault; but the father prescribes, as the condition of forgiveness, that the dutiful child shall solicit pardon for the others.

If, Sir, you should favour these remarks with insertion, I hope shortly to send you a few more on the practical importance of these views.

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age," as I find it in "A New View of London," 1708, p. 389.

It is, however, probable that a passage, which had not occurred to Mr. Wakefield, was Pope's original. It forms part of an epitaph "in the Church of Great Wychingham, in Norfolk," on Jane, the wife of Oliver Le Neve, who died in 1704. She is said never to have grieved her husband or her friends, except by dying.

quæ viro, suisque omnibus, Non unquam erat, nisi moriendo gravis.” I quote these lines from Le Neve's Monumenta Anglicana, (p. 85,) published in 1717, and probably well known to Pope in 1720, when he wrote the epitaph on his friend Harcourt.

In the same volume (p. 68) is another epitaph worthy of being transcribed, as excelling the common strain of such compositions. It also serves to shew, how even Christians, when under the pressure of the weightiest sorrows of mortality, are disposed, as if they credited the fam'd fields of Heathenish bliss," to dwell with fond affection on the fancied occupations of a supposed separate state, (on which supposition there is, strictly

rupted and improving life,) instead of trusting, like Paul, that "the dead shall live," because Jesus died and rose again.

In Clapham Church, near Bedford, in memory of Ursula Taylor. 'Vicinâ hâc tacitâ tumulantur urnâ Ursulæ filiolæ sacræ reliquiæ : Dum vixit, Patris, formâ et indole Vera effigies.

Pthisis utrisque fuit fatalis. Lachrymas absterge bis vidua mater, Patrem visit qui est cum Deo, Et plusquam 10,000 cælestium virginum Cætu divino splendet triumphans. Obiit Martii 20, 1703, Ætat. 15.'"

These lines, which might have been written if the Christian doctrine of a resurrection had never been promulgated, may be thus literally translated:

Near this silent urn are deposited the dear remains of Ursula, a daughter who died in her tender age. While living, she was a fair resemblance of her father, in person and disposition. A consumption was fatal to both. Yet dry thy tears, twice-widowed mother; for she now beholds her father, who is

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