482 
large volumes, containing a ‘ Tranfla- 
‘tion of all the Apoftolic Epiftles, with 
Notes, Commentaries, and Differta- 
tions;’ a learned but heavy work, of 
which it will, probably, foon be faid, 
“rit mole fud’’ Though, after Mr, 
Porfon’s decifive publication, on the long 
difputed verfe, 1 John, v. 7. to at- 
tempt any farther reply to the defenders 
of its authenticity, is, ‘ to flay the 
flain,’ Mr. Marth’s ‘* Letter to Arch- 
deacon Trayis,” does great credit to the 
writer; and will be very ufeful to the 
{cholar, as a guide in the ftudy of ancient 
MSS.—The perfevering labour of Dr. 
Holmes, cf Oxford, in collating the 
MSS. of the Septuagint, of which a re- 
port and fpecimen have lately been given, 
ina “ Latin Letter to the Bifhop of Dur- 
ham,” affords ground to expect, 7 due 
time, a correét edition of that valuable 
vérfion of the Hebrew fcriptures; and, 
untefs it be 
of bigots, oon Mr. Burges’s late 
“Letter to the Bifhop of Ely,” fur- 
nifhes a firiking example, an accurate 
tranflation cf the bible, may, perhaps, 
in procefs of time, rife out of the joint= 
Jabours of our learned divines. At pre- 
fent, however, the attention of the 
clergy, of all denominations, is turned to- 
wards an object of ftill more immediate 
urgency: the defence of the common 
caufe of revelation againft the attacks of 
infidels. The Unitarian controverfy is 
terminated, or left ub judice ; and while, 
in the eftablifhed church, Mr. Veyfie, in 
capacity of ‘* Bampton Lecturer,” has 
been combating herefy without an op= 
ponent; and, among the fettaries, a 
hittle /parrng has pafled between the 
Pedo-baptifts, and the Antipezdo-bap- — 
tifts, the more general and fundamental 
queftion has been revived, whether the 
fupernatural faéts related in the Jewith 
and Chriftian {criptures, be entitled to 
credit? On the negative fide of this im- 
portant queftion, Mr. Paine, with ex- 
treme deficiency in learnmeg and modetfty, 
but with talents well fuited to catch the 
popular ear, has attracted much atten- 
tion by his ‘* Age of \Reafon.” This 
attack upon revelation has been fup- 
ported with fome degree of fhrewdnefs 
jn Dutton’s $$ Vindication of Paine ;’’ 
and followed up by a modeft expofition 
of certain difficulties attending this fub- 
ject, in Mr, Hollis’s ‘* Sober and feri- 
ous Reafons for Scepticifm.” On the 
afirmatuve fide, numerous advocates have 
appeared, but with very different de- 
grecs of ability and fkiil, Dr. Knox, 
5 
Retrofpest of Domieftic Literature —Theoligy. 
[July 
from whofe talents much might have 
been expected, has, in his “ Chriftian 
Philofophy,” abandoned the evidences of _ 
hiftorical teftimony as infufficient ; and, 
with more zeal than Judgment (as every 
rational Chriftian muf think) has refted 
the belief of Chriftianity on-the fanati- 
cal ground of immediate divine impulfe. 
The reft of Mr. Paine’s’ refpondents 
have, however, adhered towthe old me- 
thod of defence; and, while Drv Au- 
chinclofs and Mr. Malham have difcre- 
dited themfelves more than their caufe ; 
the former, by a weak, vulgar, and 
blundering—the latter, by a flippant, 
hafty, and ceremonious, defence ; and the 
author of the “ Age of Infidelity,” hag 
injudicioufly embarrafied the general 
queflion, by involving with it points of 
Polemic theology—Mr. Winchefter, in 
his “‘ Defence of Revelation,” has given a 
plain view of the arguments by which it 
revented by the pertinacity 1s fupported; Mr. Eftlin, in a *% Ser- 
mon on the Evidences of revealed Reli- 
gion,” has treated the fubje& with per- 
{picuity, animation, and liberality ; Mr, 
Waketield, in a “ Reply,’ too much 
loaded with vituperative lanouage, and 
not fufficiently accommodated to the un- 
derftandings of the unlearned, but ably 
and ingenioufly written, has deteéted 
and expofed many of his antagonift’s er- 
rors and mifreprefentations ; and Bifhop 
Watfon, in his excellent ‘¢ Apology for 
the Bible,’ without exhaufting the fub- 
ject, sor encumbering his work with 
learned citation, has provided the public 
with an elegant and popular anfwer to 
Mr. Paine, well adapted to counteraét . 
the effect of his publication on that cla 
of readers on whom it awas likely to 
make the deepeft impreffion. We fhould 
mention, in this conneétion, Mr. Bry- 
ant’s elaborate. ® Obferyations on the 
Plagues inflicted upon Egypt,” if we 
did not conider this as a work more - 
adapted to eftablifh the writer’s reputa- 
tion for erudition and ingenuity; than ta 
obviate the difficulties which confeffedly _ . 
hang upon this part of the Mofaic hif- 
tory. To counteraét the unpleafant ims 
preflion which the fpread of infidelity 
muft have made upon the minds of be- 
lievers in revelation, Dr. Prieftley hag 
publifhed *‘Obfervations’ on this fub- 
ject, rather confolatory than argumen- 
tative; the work is written with the 
author's ufual perfpicuity, fincerity, and 
zeal, Of the fermons of this period, 
few are entitled to particular attention, 
The Faft Sermons, of the prefent year, 
have been uncommonly languid; pers 
haps 
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