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ON THE DEFENCE OF REVELATION. | gence of our governors." But these

mistakes (for such I consider them) do not invalidate the excellent arguments of the writers in defence of Revelation itself.

To the Editors of the Baptist Magazine. WHATEVER opinion may be formed of the propriety of prosecuting Those of your readers who possess those who revile and slander reli- the Encyclopædia Britannica, may, gion, there is a mode of counter-by turning to page 476, of Part II. acting their evil designs, on the propriety of which no wise and good man can hesitate, and in which I have no doubt of your readiness to concur-Informing the minds of those who are in danger of being deluded by the sophistry of infidel writers.

You are, no doubt, aware, that in consequence of the attacks of Woolston and others, in the last century, a number of valuable works were published; some in defence of Revelation generally, and others in vindication of such parts of the inspired volume as were then attacked. Reflecting on the subject with that solicitude for the best interests of others, especially of the rising generation, which a Christian cannot but feel, it occurred to me that I might render your readers in neral, especially the younger part of them, some service, by sending you a list of well-written works, of various sizes, published not merely at the time already referred to, but at various periods.

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Permit me to suggest, whether, if, at the present moment, it be thought expedient to publish works in defence of Revelation, we should not render a better service to religion by republishing some of those admirable works, which are now but little known to common readers, than by publishing new, but hastily written, productions. If works on this subject are not unanswerable, they may injure the cause they are intended to support.

of Vol. 18, find an excellent argument for the truth of the Scripture History of the Resurrection of Christ. It is under the article THEOLOGY. It begins thus, "In the article Miracle we have said." This work probably contains many other equally valuable short dissertations which might be very useful to young persons.

Mr. Fuller's Address to Deists, in his work on Deism, might, with a few trifling alterations, form a useful tract for young persons, who have had a religious education, but whose minds are endangered by the sophistry of Deists. It is perhaps hardly suitable for those who are confirmed in infidelity, if published without the arguments by which it is preceded in that admirable work.

There are some strong arguments against infidelity in several of the dialogues in Thornton Abbey.

If those of your readers who have good theological libraries, look over their books, probably they may find they possess not only many recommended in the following list, but other valuable works, which are calculated to establish the minds of their families in the truth of that revelation by which alone life and immortality are brought to light.

LIST, &c.

1. A Vindication of the Truth of the Christian Religion against Atheists, Deists, and Socinians, in three Volumes. Written in French by James Abbadie, D.D. Mr. Bayle commends it as one of the best in its kind. The seventh

I beg leave to explain that I do not mean by recommending some of those works, to pledge myself to an approval of every sentiment inciden- French Edition was printed in 1729. tally advanced. Some of them I There have been at least two Editions know only by means of their reputa-in High Dutch, with Notes. Mr. Lussan tion; and from those authors who has translated the whole into English. identify Christianity with a religious establishment I differ in toto, as well as from those who admit that "the 3. Dr. S. Stennett's Sermons on the liberty of the press is a privilege | Divine Authority, and various Uses of prising from the favour and indul- the Holy Scriptures. One Volume,

lished as a Pamphlet in 1793. 79 Pages, 2 Dr. Doddridge on Inspiration; pub

12mo. 1s. 6d.

4. Benjamin Bennett's Sermons on the Truth, Inspiration, and Usefulness of the Scripture. One Volume, 8vo.

5. Robinson's Sermon, entitled, Scripfure a good Book, written by Divine Inspiration. Sermon Fourth, in his Village Sermons.

6. Dr. Lardner's Credibility of the Gospel History (eighteen Volumes) is too voluminous for most readers, but might be advantageously consulted on many points.

7. Butler's Analogy of Natural and Revealed Religion. One Volume.

8. Dr. Delany's Revelation examined with Candour. Three Volumes, 8vo. (Published anonymously.)

9. Dr. Paley on the Evidences of Christianity.

10. Dr. Doddridge on the Evidences of Christianity.-The Tract Society has published a cheap Edition of this Tract.

11. Dr. Chalmers on the Evidences and Authority of the Christian Revelation,

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12. Dr. (Olinthus) Gregory on the Evidences, Doctrines, and Duties of Christianity. Two Volumes, 8vo.

13. Bishop Watson's Apology for the Bible, in answer to the Second Part of Paine's Age of Reason.

14. Dr. Bates on the Divinity of the Christian Religion, &c. for the Cure of Infidelity; annexed to his "Considerations of the Existence of God," &c.

15. Letters of certain Jews to Voltaire, respecting certain Passages in the Old Testament. (This title may not be quite correct, as it is given from memory.

16. Dr. Chandler's Vindication of the History of the Old Testament.

17. Bishop Porteus's Summary of the principal Evidences for the Truth and Divine Origin of the Christian Revelation. One small Volume, 12mo.

18. Dr. Leland's Defence of the Authority of the Old and New Testaments. Two Volumes.

19. Locke on the Reasonableness of Christianity. One Volume.

20. Dr. Watts's Caveat against Infidelity. In Vol. II. of his Works, it occupies thirty Pages Quarto.

21. Fell and Hunter's Lectures on the Evidences of Christianity. One Volume,

8vo.

22. Dr. Leland's View of the Deistical Writers. 2 Volumes, 8vu.

23. Leslie's Short and Easy Method with the Deists. One Volume. From this Work the Tract Society have pub. lished an Extract,

24. Fuller's Gospel its own Witness; or, as it is more generally called, Fuller on Deism. One Volume, 8vo.

VOL. XI.

25. Toller's (Rev. T. N. of Kettering,) Plain and Popular View of some of the leading Evidences of Christianity.

26, Dr. Doddridge's Answer to a Pamphlet, entitled, "Christianity not founded on Argument;" in Doddridge's

three Volumes of Sermons and Tracts. 150 Pages, 12mo.

27. Dr. Priestley's Letters to a Philo, sophical Unbeliever. Two Volumes, 8vo. 28. Dr. Collyer's Lectures on Scrip ture Facts, one Volume, 8vo.-Scripture Miracles, one Volume, 8vo.

29. An Answer to the Question, "Why am I a Christian?" by Clarke. America printed; London reprinted. 38 Pages, 1s.

30. Dr. Delany's Historical Account of the Life and Reign of King David. Two Volumes, 8vo.-Designed to clear the Character of David from the Asper, sions of Infidels.

31. Dr. Chandler's Life of King David. 32. Dr. Chandler's Review of the "Life of the Man after God's own Heart," One Volume, 8vo. (being a Defence of No. 31.)

33. Dr, T. Sherlock, (afterwards Bishop of London,) on the Use and Extent of Prophecy; and containing some Dissertations illustrative of Scripture.~ N. B. The third Edition, published in 1740, has a Dissertation on Christ's Entry into Jerusalem, which is not contained in the earlier Editions.

34. Bishop Newton's Dissertations on the Prophecies. Three Volumes, 8vo.

35. Hurd on the Prophecies. Two Volumes, 12mo.

36. Dr. Campbell's Dissertation on Miracles, in answer to Hume. One Volume, 12mo.

37. Our Saviour's Miracles Vindicated; by T. Ray, London, 1727. 72 Pages, 8vo.-The Miracles vindicated in this Pamphlet are,

Jesus driving Bugers and Sellers out of the Temple-Permitting the Devils to enter the Herd of Swine-The Transfiguration Jesus turning Water into Wine-Feeding Thousands with a few Loaves and Fishes-Curing the Paraly tic-Restoring Eye-sight to the Blind -Raising Jairus's Daughter-Cursing the barren Fig-tree.

38. The Miracles of Jesus Vindicated; by an anonymous Author, in three Parts; in the whole, 102 Pages, 8vo, Lon don, 1729,-The Miracles vindicated i this Pamphlet are,

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The Resurrection of Christ - Jesus driving Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple-Suffering the Devils to enter the Herd of Swine-Cursing the barren Fig-tree-Turning the Water into Wine,

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39. Gilbert West on the Resurrection

of Christ. One Volume, 8vo.

57. The last six Chapters, containing 107 Pages, 8vo. of Dr. Bates's Harmony

40. Ditton on the Resurrection of of the Divine Attributes. This is an

Christ. One Volume, 8vo.

41. Dore on the Resurrection of Christ.

100 Pages, 12mo.

excellent Work.

58. T. H. Horne's Deism Refuted. 18mo. 18.

59. Addison's Evidences of the Chris

42. The Trial of the Witnesses of the Resurrection of Christ; by Dr. T. (after-tian Religion. Dr. Purdy's Edition. wards Bishop) Sherlock. London, 110 Pages, 8vo.

N. B. The Society in Bartlett's Build. ings printed a new Edition of this valuable Work, about fifteen or twenty years ago; and there was also, about the same time, an Edition published by a Bookseller, at 1s. or 1s. 6d.

43. The Sequel to the Trial of the Witnesses; revised by the Author of the Tryal of the Witnesses. London, 1749. 164 Pages, 8vo.

44. The Fitness of the Witnesses of the Resurrection of Christ Considered; by Wm. Webster, A.M. London, 1731. 26 Pages, 8vo.

45. Lord Lyttleton's Letter to Gilbert West, Esq. entitled, "Observations on the Conversion and Apostleship of St. Paul. 110 Pages, 8vo.

46. A Dissertation on the Conduct of the Jewish Sanhedrim, and the Advice offered by Gamaliel; anonymous. Edinburgh and London, 1769. 190 Pages, 870.

47. The Conduct of Judas Iscariot considered as a Proof of the Truth of Christianity.-Published, I think, in

Scotland.

48. Dr. Kennicott's Two Dissertations, on the Tree of Life, and the Sacrifice of Cain and Abel. One Volume, 8vo.Intended by a proposed Emendation of the Translation, to refute the Cavils of Unbelievers.

49. Dr. Paley's Hora Paulinæ. One Volume, 8vo.

50. White's Bampton Lectures.-In this Work Christianity is contrasted with Mahometanism.

51. Plain Truth for Plain People, in three Dialogues. Intended to counteract Paine's Age of Reason. 36 Pages, Price 4d. (Seeley.)

52. The Truth and Certainty of Christianity Demonstrated, by eight infallible Marks, (24 Pages.) selected from Leslie's Short and Easy Method with the Deists. Published by the Edinburgh Religious Tract Society in 1804.

53. Jenkin's Reasonableness of the Christian Religion. Two Volumes, 8vo. 54. Skelton's Deism Revealed. Two Volumes.

55. Baxter's Reasons of the Christian Religion.

60. Bishop Horne's Letters on In fidelity.

61. Thomson's Age of Infidelity. 62. Grotius on the Truth of the Chris tian Religion; with the Notes of Le Clerc.

63. Dr. Beattie's Evidences of Christianity.

64. Dr. Findlay's Vindication, &c. against Voltaire.

65. Bishop Porteus's Essay on the beneficial Effects of Christianity.

66. Dr. Douglas on Miracles, against Hume.

67. The Defences of the Christian Religion, by Minutius Felix, Lactantius, Origen, Tertullian, Arnobius, Augustine, (on the City of God,) Eusebius, Justin, Athenagoras, Tatianus, Clemens Alexauldrinus, Cyprian, Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzene, Nyssen, &c.

68. Camero's Prælectiones on the Word of God.

69. Marsilius Ficinus on the Christian Religion, with Crocius's Notes.

70. Ludovicus Vives on the Christian Faith.

71. Philip Morney du Plessis on the Truth of the Christian Faith.

72. Savonarola's Triumph of the Cross.
73. Micrelius's Ethnophronius.
74. Raymundus Lullius's Articles of
Faith.

75. Alexander Gill on the Creed,
76. Dr. Jackson on the Creed.

77. The Divine Authority of the Scriptures, in Boston's, Gill's, and many other Bodies of Divinity.

78. Dr. S. Clarke's sixteen Sermons at Boyle's Lecture.

79. Stillingfleet's Origines Sacræ. 8vo. 619 Pages. A masterly Work.

80. Sermons preached at Boyle's Lecture, and collected in three Volumes, folio, 1739.

81. Dick's Essay on the Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.

82. Dr. John Owen's Divine Original: and Authority of the Scriptures, 8vo. Reason of Faith in

83.

the Scriptures, 8vo.

84. Clarke's (Author of the Annota tions,) Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures asserted.

85. Dr. Edwards's Discourse concerning the Authority, Style, and Perfection 56. Halyburton's Natural Religion of the Books of the Old and New Testa insufficient.

ments.

86. Tillotson's Rule of Faith. 87. Dr. Knox's Christian Philosophy. 88. Adams's Answer to Hume. 8vo. 89. Benson's Reasonableness of the Christian Religion. 8vo.

90. Brine's Vindication of Natural and Revealed Religion. 8vo.

91. Bernard's Excellence of the Christian Religion.

92. Coneybeare's Defence of Revealed Religion.

93. Stebbing's Christianity Justified. 94. Elisha Smith's Cure of Deism. 95. Abbe le Pluche's Truth of the Gospel Demonstrated. Two Volumes. 96. Murray's Evidences of the Jewish and Christian Revelations.

97. Ilive's Vindication of the Christian Religion.

98. Jortin on the Truth of the Christian Religion.

99. Gerard on the Evidences of Christianity.

100. Dawson's Appeal to Heathen

and Jewish Writers in Defence of Christianity.

101. Lowth's Divine Authority of the Old and New Testaments.

102. Hammond's Truth of the Chris tian Religion.

103. Pascal's Thoughts on Religion. -104. Many of Archbishop Tillotson's

Sermons.

105. Hickes's Gentleman instructed

in the Conduct of a virtuous and happy Life. 8vo. 584 Pages. Tenth Edition,

1722.

106. Gastrel on the Certainty of the Christian Revelation.

107. Dr. Priestley against Evanson. 108. Doddridge's Lectures, Part VI. 109. Antidote for the rising Age, against Scepticism and Infidelity: In Letters from Credens to Scepticus. 12mo. 135 Pages. 1765.

110. Reynolds's (John) Letters to a Deist.

111. Nichols's Conference with a Theist.

My Young Friends,-Having, with a special view to your information, pointed out such Works as are calculated to aid you in your inquiry respecting the evidences of Revelation, let me entreat each of you not to rest satisfied with ascertaining that Revelation is certainly true and inspired; for however true-however divine, it will do you no good unless you enter into the views of its Divine Author. To ascertain that there is a rock on which you may safely build, will not secure your safety, if, after all, you build on the

sand. To ascertain that the Charter of Salvation is genuine, will be of no use to you, unless you seek to obtain an interest in its privileges.To ascertain that the scripture furnishes us with a map of the road to the celestial City, will be of no avail to you, if you continue in the city of Destruction, instead of becoming pilgrims towards the Heavenly Country. To feel confident that the Church of Christ will effectually resist, and survive, the attacks of Infidelity, will afford you no reason for consolation, if you are not members of that church.-Allow me then to recommend a little tract, which, if out of print, I should hope would soon be reprinted. It consists of an extract from the works of the celebrated M. Bonnet, of Geneva: the title given in the edition I have is, "The Nature and Design of Christianity; extracted from a late Author." It contains only sixteen pages; but twenty-seven important propositions are clearly stated, and well applied. It is an English translation, or rather an abstract, I be lieve, and was printed in London in the year 1795, but I suppose not published, as there is no bookseller's name in the title-page. To those who understand French, I would recommend the original. But above all things, my young friends, let me entreat you to read the sacred volume, with attention, and with prayer for Divine influence, conscientiously resolving to obey the Divine will as far as you can discover it; and steadfastly believing, that "if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God."

That every one of you may enjoy in your own person this irresistible evidence of the truth and efficacy of Christianity is the heart's desire and prayer of

A BELIEVER IN REVELATION. The Editors will be greatly ob liged by this writer's communicating the other pieces in favour of Christianity, which have been mentioned in a private letter; and also to any person who shall communicate a paper in defence of Christianity, which is supposed to have appeared in the London Evening Post, bes tween June and December, 1778.

EXTENT

OF THE

LIBERTY OF THE PRESS.

ALTHOUGH every wise and good man cannot but despise and detest the infamous writings of Paine, Carlile, and Sherwin, yet there are some persons of this description who are of opinion that the circulation of their publications ought to be tolerated. This opinion they found upon the Justice of religious toleration, and upon the wisdom of leaving Truth to defend her own cause, which it is alleged she is competent to do without the aid of human laws. In order to come to a decision upon the subject, I have lately been reading Dr. Furneaux's Letters to Sir William Blackstone, and by reading that excellent work I have been induced to think that this opinion cannot be maintained.

ciety? do they not corrupt the minds of the people by taking away moral restraint? Is not this dispersion a crime of the worst description? does it not train up the readers of these vile publications to the commission of all other crimes?

It is objected, that our arguments cannot be confined to our own country, and therefore ought to be equally applicable to Turkey, and other Mahometan countries. Granted. And it is the duty of Christians in Mahometan countries not to revile and treat with scurrility and abuse their religious books, but to maintain and diffuse their own sentiments with a mixture of firmness and modesty. Let not the example of Elijah be adduced in opposition to this. He was a prophet and ambassador of the most high God; he stood up to vindicate, not with scurrility and abuse, but with a majestic firmness, the cause of his sovereign, against Ahab and his prophets, who were rebels against the King of the country; and he produced his credentials, when fire came down from heaven to consume his sacrifice.Again: if it can be proved by the

Let us begin with the justice of the case. Dr. Furneaux contends, that "overt acts contrary to the peace and good order of society" should be punished? And are not the printing and dispersing of pub-Turks that the publications of Chrislications which encourage vice,

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tians are demoralizing, it is their duty by penal restraints to prevent their circulation.

overt acts contrary to the peace and good order of society?" Again: Dr. Furneaux justly observes, that it We proceed now to the wisdom of is the duty of the magistrate to the measure. And here it is said, courage those general principles of in the first place, that truth will religion and morality on which the finally prevail. Very true and so happiness of society depends." Does will Divine Justice finally be exeit not follow, that it is his duty to cuted; but it follows not that hudiscourage, that is, to punish, the man justice should tarry. Because propagation of the contrary? It is the former is frequently slow in its true the doctor confines this to self-operations, it follows not that the evident cases, and does not extend it to cases where the ill-tendency of principles is not manifest; since in that case the magistrate might claim the right of prohibiting the publication of every thing which he dislikes. But this limitation justifies the punishment of Carlile, whose publications have a manifest, and not merely a "supposed" ill-tendency. Are they not eagerly read by the most profligate characters; and do they not encourage them to persevere in their wicked courses? Is not the dispersion of blasphemous publications highly prejudicial to so

latter should be so too. The law of self-preservation urges upon us the stopping of the circulation of the poison WITHOUT DELAY. Shall, in the mean time, our children, and our domestics, and our neighbours, be exposed to drink the poisonous draught? I allow that arguments ought to be opposed to them: and so they ought to be opposed to immorality: but this is not enough in either case; immorality and demo. ralization (the latter of which ex ceeds the former in baseness) ought both of them to be punished.

In the second place, it is objected

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