404 
into such speculations as brought him into 
some difficulties. His sanguine hopes and 
calculations, proving fallacious, he was for 
Some time rendered unable to fuifil his eng2ge- 
ments, which afforded matter for a reproach 
to his enemies. But his concession, and hu- 
mility to his friends, on these occasions, 
were so pathetic, that any heart not steeled, 
could not freely excuse him. Indeed, great 
talents, and yeta child-like simplicity, were 
in him united. Hewould hearken most ear- 
nestly to the reproofs, or advice of his poor- 
est friends. His affectionate regard for the 
poor was very remarkadle, and indeed amidst 
all his worldly entanglements, and domestic 
afflictions, their welfare, and the things 
€oncerning the kingdom of Heaven, always 
appeared uppermost upon his mind, At one . 
time he entered into.a partnership cohcern, 
for the manufacture of writing paper of a su- 
perior quality; but this connection proved 
also extremely unfortunate for him. Mr. M. 
was the original projector of the Encyclopedia 
Perthensis*, but finding the concern too 
weighty, he disposed of it to his eldest son, 
who died just as the work was finished. Af- 
ter writing, and publishing, several anony- 
fous pamphlets. Mr. M. in 1807, com- 
menced his Bibliotheca Sacra, which is al- 
lowed by many to be the best dictionary of 
the bible ever published. Most of the impor- 
tant doctrinal articles are of his own compo- 
sition. Covenant, garden, law, Melchize- 
dek, &c. sufficiently display the wonderful 
extent of his biblical knowledge. On wri- 
ting an introduction to this work, by giving 
a general view of revelation, he was advised 
by his friends to publish it separate, in 
monthly numbers. This was done under the 
title of an Introductory Key to the Scriptures ; 
and has proved a most extraordinary produc- 
tion. His manuscript ends in the took of 
Numbers. Had his life been spared, till he 
had in the same manner gone threugh ail 
scripture, many suppose this attempt would 
have beenthe most complete commentary 
upon the word of God ever published. It is 
much to be regretted, that this ingenious 
work was also chiefly composed when he 
ought to have been asleep, or in the midst of 
other avocations, and subject to continual 
interruptions. It is said, that his sheets 
Were sometimes sent to the printer, even 
without arevisa]. In this key, it was his 
objectto prove, that it is the same gospel 
which was preached to our first parents in 
Eden ; to the patriarchs; to the church in 
_ + Mr. Robert Morisen, (his brother), is 
now printing a second edition of this valuable 
work. Dr. Garnett in his tour through 
Scotland, observed at Perth, that the print- 
ing business was carried on upon an extensive 
scale by the Morisons’, who printed about 
30,000 volumes annually. — 
+ Williams and Smith were his agents in 
London, 
Account of the late Mr. James Morison. 
| [May 1, 
_the wilderness ; and in the day’s of Solomon ; 
and to the church in gospel days, (as many 
talk) ; that our Lord and his apostles preach- 
ed no new gospel, that they said none other 
things than what Moses in the law and the 
propnets did write. On this ground, he 
maintains, thar the design of the Old as well 
as the New Testament, was to preach this 
gospel, and none other, and that the testi- 
mony of Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy. 
He contends that Abraham, Moses, Samuel, 
andall that followed after, proclaimed the same 
great salvation, which began to be spoken by 
the Lord, and was ‘confirmed to us by thera 
that heard him: nay. he goes farther, and 
asserts, that as the Old Testament preached 
this gospel by parable, type, &c. so the New 
Testament elucidates it, by unveiling them. 
When our Lord, who taught as never man 
did, preached the gospel of his kingdom, he 
opened his mouth in the parables of the Old 
Testament, telling his disciples, that, ‘* to 
them’’, and to them only, ‘* it was given 
to know the mysteries of his kingdom,” he 
assured the Jews, that it was from their igno- 
rance of Moses, while sitting in his seat,’ 
that they persecuted him; ‘¢ for,” said he 
‘© Moses wrote of me.” It was a standing 
maxim with him, that, ‘¢ if they hear not 
Moses and the prophets, neither will they 
hear, though one rose from the dead.””. He 
maintaifs that the apostles appeared, as 
David foretold, like ‘* Oxen strong for la- 
bour,’? when they threshed out the corn, by 
tearing off the husk of the typical veil. Christ 
-and him crucified, he contends is the grand 
centre, where all the lines of revelation 
meet. We are exhorted he observed, to bee 
come followers of those who through faith 
and patience, are now inheriting the promi- 
ses. If we study the biegraphy of Genesis, 
we shail find a number of conspicuous cha- 
racters introduced; but for what end? Is 
it to leave patterns of heroism, or military 
prowess? No ;—through faith, they all cb- 
tained a good report. A great conqueror, 
such) as Nimred, is dispatched in a single 
sentence ; but a believer, as it is in Jesus, is 
followed through the steps of his faith. The 
popular notion that the law said, do, and 
the gospel believe, he opposed most strenu- 
ously. What! said he, would Moses at the 
same time be a faithful servant, and an ene- 
my to bis Lord? The deceased was admira- 
bly fitted for polemic divinity, but did not 
often indulge himself in that kind of warfare, 
though he often felt inclined to do so, from 
seeing the weakness and inconsistencies of the 
different combatants, A few months before 
he died, he announced his intention of ad- 
dressing the baptists. He perceived the er- 
rors into which the disputants on both sides 
of the question had been led, and knowing 
the force of his weapons, both parties were 
anxious to see upon what fresh. ground he 
could place the practice of infant baptism. 
PROVINCIAL 
