DISSENT Unscriptural and Unjustifiable, DEMONSTRATED IN A THIRD LETTER TO THE REV. J. PYE SMITH, D.D. BEING AN ANSWER TO HIS "REJOINDER" TO "A SECOND LETTER" ON THAT SUBJECT. BY SAMUEL LEE, D.D. D. D. OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HALLE, HONORARY MEMBER OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF PARIS, AND OF THE LITERARY SOCIETY OF RHODE ISLAND, PREBENDARY OF BRISTOL, VICAR OF BANWELL, REGIUS PROFESSOR OF HEBREW IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, &c. BRISTOL PUBLISHED BY W. STRONG, CLARE STREET; AND SOLD BY RIVINGTONS, J. DUNCAN, &c. LONDON; J. AND J. J. DEIGHTON, AND STEVENSON, CAMBRIDGE. MDCCCXXXV. A THIRD LETTER, &c. VICARAGE, BANWELL, SOMERSET. June, 1835. Rev. and dear Sir, THE copy of your "Rejoinder" to my Second Letter to you, which you were so good as to send me, came safely to hand two or three days ago after a circuitous route through Cambridge; and, as it contains statements which, I think, call for further consideration, I now proceed to address a Third Letter to you for this purpose. Before, however, I notice those statements, you will probably allow me to offer a few preliminary remarks. SECTION I. Preliminary Remarks. The second paragraph of your “Rejoinder” tells me that you" might have felt astonishment" that statements, which to yourself had appeared clear in matter and plain in expression, have seemed to fail of being intelligible; and that arguments, which, to your own mind, were decisive of questions, are utterly powerless in my esteem. I deem it important here to remark that, as the minds of men originally not very dissimilar perhaps in any respect-are by education or otherwise made greatly to differ, both as to the opinions which they entertain, and the modes which they adopt of considering or expressing them; it need not be matter of surprise that what one man thinks is clear and plain, another believes to be obscure and scarcely intelligible. In many cases indeed the same precise force is not attached by all men to the same words and phrases: and, in many more, a slight difference in the manner of reading a passage will supply an emphasis, and convey a sense, not intended by its author. Prejudice exercises some influence with most men; interest and party feeling, perhaps, much more than they themselves are aware of. These things, I believe, attach themselves more or less to the best of us and hence the melancholy truth,-which needs not, indeed, be either concealed or disguised, - that perfection is no where to be expected on this side of the grave. In controversy, particularly on questions relating to religion, some imperfections originating in one or more of these causes may very reasonably be expected. And, when the disputants are not ignorant that this may happen, which I trust is the case with you and me,the line of duty seems to be, when misunderstanding presents itself, kindly to point it out, and to suggest the true intention of the place so misunderstood. Had this always been done, my opinion is, many subjects which have gradually grown more and more obscure would long have ceased to be so; and much unfriendly feeling which has occasionally been found to exist would never have had a being. Well informed men do not expect perfection in any thing earthly, if we except the pure mathematics; and even these, when applied to the purposes of art or science, instantly become subject to uncertainties not unlike those which are found to prevail in every thing else. Revealed religion, from the circumstance of its coming to us necessarily through the unsteady medium of words, cannot but be liable to misunderstanding. But, as it is confessedly a matter of the highest possible interest, and involves consequences the most tremendous, it is highly important that we should be cautious as to how we receive it, and make up our minds upon it; never forgetting that, as perfection, or, which is much the same thing, complete unanimity on every thing connected with it is not to be expected; it is our duty as men to be satisfied with the best approximation which we can make to its great and saving truths, and to be thankful for every suggestion afforded by others which may have the tendency of administering still further to our spiritual light and comfort. With these considerations before us, and remembering the shortness and great uncertainty of life, we shall necessarily be anxious that no time be lost, and no stumbling block thrown in the way of a brother, in our endeavours duly to understand, and duly to propound, every thing connected with this great question. The great essentials of religion will, therefore, claim our first and most careful consideration; those of confessedly inferior moment we may consign to an inferior place in our regards. This, I think I may say, has been the course taken by the most prudent and best experienced in every age of the world, and in every profession and relation of life. The lawyer would justly be deemed a driveller who neglected the great and important points in his case, and then endeavoured to gain his cause by insisting on the smaller and less important ones. The |