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been performed by any other veffel. The particulars of this last voyage must be more interesting to navigators than to the naturalift, or any other defcription of readers. It concludes with fome later accounts of the state of Norfolk Island, and is not without its portion of merit.

We repeat our acknowledgments for this publication, which, though the language has not been fufficiently attended to, has illuftrated much that was obfcure, has effectually removed much doubt and apprehenfion concerning the condition of our unfortunate countrymen at fo remote a diftance, and at the fame time, exhibits a moft refpectable mifcellany of inftruction and amufement to readers of all tastes and propenfities. We trust the plan which has hitherto been purfued, will be regularly continued, and that we fhall, from time to time, be informed of every difcovery, and of the regular progrefs towards the fecurity and improvement of this infant colony. Neither are we entirely without the hope that the period may not be far diftant, when the comfortable conviction of having meliorated the condition of an untutored race, may teach us more fervently to adore the infcrutable ways of Providence, and increase our exertions in benevolence and active virtue.

ART. XXII. Difcourfes on Various Subjects, illuftrative of the Evidence, Influence, and Doctrines of Chriftianity. By the Rev. Robert Gray, M. A. 8vo. 348 pages. 5s. boards. Rivingtons, and Robfon.

THAT our faith fhould be fo brought to the test of reason

that we may be able both to affign the foundations of it, and to be well affured that they are found, is above all things defirable. The undiftinguithing fuperftition which, with blind and greedy appetite, devours both true and false, sound and unfound, probable and improbable, rational and abfurd, is difgraceful to those who cherish it, and, in the end, pernicious to religion, which becomes charged, in common opinion, with those follies that are injudiciously defended, under the falfe affumption of that facred name. At the fame time, fome limits must be put to the interference of reason; for, though it be her province to decide upon the evidences of facts, and the authenticity of records; yet, when once the teftimony is admitted to be complete, that certain records, containing certain precepts, declarations, and narrations, illue from divine authority, reafon can be no longer at liberty to argue, à priori, that fuch things cannot deferve alfent. She is convicted of oppofing herself, if, after having determined, on adequate grounds, that fuch intelli

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gence is infallible, the pretend to reject the fubftance of any part of it, as not fuited to her comprehenfion. If it be clearly expreffed in the record, and truly there, that is, not introduced by interpolation or corruption, it muft, by candid and confiftent reafoners, be received. To deny peremptorily and generally, without attention to the evidence, is the precipitate and prejudiced method of infidelity: to explain away whatever squares not exactly with particular notions of propriety and probability, notwithstanding all the weight of admitted teftimony, is the work of a prejudice and prefumption, little less dangerous than that of infidelity: to fly from those topics altogether, in which it is neceffary to encounter difficulties, and to exert a patient attention, argues perhaps indolence, perhaps an infincerity of regard towards the great truths of religion: to seek for truth by careful investigation, fufpending judgment where clear conclufions cannot be obtained; fixing it, notwithstanding every previous notion, where authorities appear to be decifive; and fubmitting with humility the pride of man to the wisdom of God, or thofe whom he infpired: thefe appear to be the duties of a wife, and perfectly fincere minifter of religion.

In this latter path we are happy to find fo young a man treading with fo firm a ftep as is obfervable in the author of thefe Difcourfes. He has not, however, a reputation of this kind to form at prefent. In a former work, which the public has received with very extenfive and very just approbation (the Key to the Old Teftament), Mr. Gray evinced thofe qualities which entitled him to the praife of critics, the gratitude of all well-wishers to religion, and the commendation which, it seems, he actually received from fome of the most distinguished ornaments of our church. Being fincerely favourable to exertions of this kind, we have no fmall fatisfaction in declaring, that, if the former work obtained a reputation, the prefent will fupport it; that if expectations were then raifed, they will not now be difappointed.

In a very fenfible and judicious preface, the author combats the opinion which has lately been too common, that moral and practical difcourfes fhould exclufively employ the efforts of

*This fufpence of judgment in difficult enquiries appears to be one of the most neceffary, and, perhaps, at prefent, the most uncommon branches of wisdom. Every thing must be decided by every one; this is true, this is falfe; this cannot be, this must be; I believe every thing, I believe nothing; these are the general methods; whereas true wisdom thinks it fortunate if she can arrive at truth after a purfuit of many years. The Greek philofopher would find it very difficult to teach a modern audience the true ufe of the one word επεχειν.

preachers,

preachers. Allowing all due weight to the admonition that the minifters of religion fhould endeavour to improve the conduct of men, Mr. G. very properly argues, that the conduct of men, as Chriftians, cannot effectually be improved without enlightening their minds upon many points of doctrine and faith peculiar to chriftianity. Much important argument is urged on this fubject, the whole of which well deferves attentive. perufal.

In confequence of fuch reflections, and in purfuance of that line of ftudy in which he has laboured fo fuccefsfully, Mr. G. has formed this volume chiefly of difcourfes calculated to illuftrate difficult parts of the facred hiftory: and though we think his remarks perfectly valid, when applied to fermons delivered from the pulpit, (fuppofing the ability of the minifter, who undertakes it, to handle fuch fubjects with fuccefs) we agree with him in thinking it ftill lefs difputable, that "Difcourfes intended for private perufal, may be rendered more "interefting by the introduction of fuch explanatory particulars as are drawn from remote sources, which are illuftrative of "the primitive faith, and tend to elucidate difficulties of ferious confideration." The last Discourse in this volume feems, indeed, from its great length, to have been written merely for perufal; or it must contain the substance of several confecutive difcourfes in the church, blended into one, for publication."

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The Difcourfes of this volume are ten in number, on the following fubjects-1. On the importance of profecuting our ftudies and enquiries under religious impreffions, and with a view to moral improvement.-2. On the temptation of Chrift, -3. On the pool of Bethesda.-4. On the Demoniacs.-5. and 6. On the refurrection.-7. and 8. On the influence of Chriftianity.-9. On the accomplishment of prophecy, as illuftrated in the prefent circumstances of the world.-10. On the millennium, or reign of faints. In the order and fubjects of these Discourses the author points out a kind of connection, which, however, as he feems himself to allow, is neither fo clofe nor fo important as to demand particular attention.

We fhall not undertake a minute examination of these Difcourfes, but, remarking that they are fuch in general as well deferve the character we have given above, we fhall content ourselves with making a few obfervations on each.

In the first Discourse, the reasons for the inadequate attention commonly paid to the works and wonders of Providence, are illuftrated by much novelty and ingenuity of remark.

The confideration of our Saviour's conduct, as uniting the properties of the divine and human nature, p. 24 and 25, is the moft original and ftriking part of the fecond fermon. The

third fupports the literal acceptation of what St. John has faid concerning the pool of Bethesda, against those who would explain it away; and confiders it as one of the ftanding miracles peculiar to the Jewish nation. In a note it is mentioned, that fome commentators have fuppofed there was no visible descent of an angel; but that a miraculous effect being produced, it was, according to the Jewish notions, attributed to an angel. This was the opinion of Grotius; and it is, in fome measure, confirmed by the verfion of Nonnus, in which the author makes no mention of the angel; but fays exprefsly,

Αλμασιν αυτομαλοισιν ίδων ορχομενον ύδωρ.

and afterwards AUTOEλIXTON dwp. The Beza MS. at Cambridge, omits the whole 4th verfe of the chapter, in which the angel is fpoken of; and the royal MS. 9. at Paris, wants both that and the concluding words of ver. 3. εκδεχομένων την τε ύδαλος κινησιν. But these omiffions create a great obfcurity in the narrative, and, indeed, render unintelligible the declaration of the impotent man in the 7th verfe; "Sir, I have no man when the "water is troubled to put me into the pool, but while I am coming another steppeth down before me.' The Alexandrian, and other good MSS. have the paffage complete.

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The fermon on the Demoniacs, which is the fourth of this volume, is important from its fubject, and the controversies which have arifen upon it. Mr. Gray strongly maintains the opinion of actual poffeffion, and takes occafion to do so from the narrative of the man who was poffeffed by many devils. That there are difficulties and obfcurities in this relation cannot be denied; but certainly in this, and other places, where the number and particular circumstances of the poffeffing demons,* are exactly specified, it feems impoffible to fupport the opinion, that fuch narratives are mere accommodations to common expreffions and prejudices, Mary Magdalene might be faid to have been poffeffed, in fuch a mode of accommodation; but the exact number of feven devils could hardly have been af figned on those grounds (fee Luke viii. 2.). And if the historian had meant only that the report was fuch, he doubtless would have faid fo.

Mr. Gray contends for the opinion of those who affert the poffeffing fpirits to have been actual demons or devils, not the fpirits of deceased men; and confequently introduces his dif

* We write demon, and demoniac, in compliance with the genius of our language, which delights not in a, and with the authority of Johnfon. Mr. Gray retains the diphthong.

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cuffion by a general view of the fcriptural account of evil spirits. He shows an inclination to believe that the agency of those beings was permitted in the ancient fyftem of idolatry, an opinion very generally received among the early Chriftians; but he fpeaks on this point hypothetically, and with diffidence. He evinces, by his reference to the opinions of profane antiquity, and of the fathers of the church, on the fubject of demoniacs, that he has very diligently studied the question; and he fums up the evidence of fcripture for the literal interpretation, in the following manner: "Chrift and his difciples fpeak of demo"niacs as diftinct from lunatics or difordered perfons: they "address the demons as actual beings, poffeffing the perfons of men; they speak of cafting out evil fpirits from the bodies "of men as diftinct beings, and fometimes as limited to a fpe"cific number; the demons are reprefented by the evangelists ་ as performing perfonal actions, and as fpeaking to our Savi"our fometimes with clearer and more perfect apprehenfion "of his character, than human and difordered perfons can be fupposed to have acquired." P. 82. Thefe confiderations, fupported by the references fubjoined, and further strengthened by the circumftances of the narrative from which the text is taken, and the unequivocal affertions of the early Chriftians, from undoubtedly a very strong body of teftimony in favour of this doctrine; nor does it seem evident to us, why any Christian fhould defire to explain it otherwife, unless he have previoufly given up, that for which the teftimony is as strong, as for any point afferted in the facred writings, the agency of evil fpirits. That fuch poffeffions do not now take place, is a very inadequate argument, opposed to fo much evidence that they formerly did happen; nor can the fact on which that argument is founded be duly afcertained; for, according to Bishop Hurd's obfervation, fince we can neither difcern fpirits at prefent, nor caft them out, they may now poffefs the victims of their power without discovery or fufpicion. We think the author goes too far at the latter end of this difcourfe, in afking, who that hath been feduced to various kind of evil," but muft perceive that "he has been milled by the great adversary of mankind?" He fhould have faid, that he may have been fo mifled, p. 101. Nor can we agree with him in thinking the popular errors on the fubject of witchcraft and poffeffion, any decifive proof of a fubftratum of truth in fuch notions.

Of the 5th and 6th Difcourfes; the former treats of the evidence for the refurrection of Chrift, the latter of the affurance afforded by it of our own refurrection to immortal life. The accounts of the evangelifts, which fome have represented as difcordant, are well digefted by Mr. Gray, into a connected narrative, which removes all difficulties. See p. 106, &c.

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