Theological Review.

The Scripture Testimony to the Messiah: an Inquiry, with a view to a satisfactory determination of the Doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures, concerning the Person of Christ; including a careful Examination of the Rev. T. Belsham's Calm Inquiry, and of othe Unitarian Works on the same subject. By J. P. SMITH, D.D. Vol. II. London, B. J. Holdsworth, 2 parts, price £1. in bds.

manner in which this has been dilated on, is apt to excite a suspicion in the minds of those who are not acquainted with Dr. Smith's character, that it is something more than could have been expected from him.

London Christian Instructor, No. XLI. p. 257. The reviewer of the Doctor's work says:-"As far as temper and suavity of manner is concerned, it is, perhaps, unique as a work of theological controversy. We do not know that there is a fairly objectionable epithet to be found throughout the three volumes. We hope his example will be extensively followed."

Besides, we are much mistaken, if the candid and gentleman-like manner in which he has uniformly treated his opponents, has not, in some instances at least, produced a slight degree of In resuming our notice of this truly dissatisfaction among his brethren. excellent work, we would beg leave to This idea was suggested by the followintimate to our readers, that the presenting most remarkable paragraph in the article will be merely introductory to others that are intended to follow it without interruption, in our succeeding numbers, till the review be completed. It will be recollected, that we gave a brief sketch of the contents of the first volume, in our No. for January, 1819, when we intimated our intention of returning to the subject on a future occasion. Till now, however, this has been unavoidably delayed; and, since that time, the volume before us has made its appearance. The work is now before the public in a finished state; and, we proceed to lay before our readers a view of the arguments which compose the second volume, making, at the same time, such references to the first volume, as the nature of our remarks may render necessary.

In our review of Mr. Orme's Memoirs of Dr. Owen, we made a passing remark on the spirit and temper in which the Socinian controversy is usually conducted. We there referred to the Lectures of Dr. Wardlaw, as proof that this, as well as any other controversy in religion, may be conducted in the spirit of meekness; and, it is with unfeigned pleasure, that we here add the name of John Pye Smith, whose volumes now before us demonstrate the same fact. It is not our intention, however, to dwell upon this circumstance; several contemporary journals have paid Dr. Smith high compliments on the amiable spirit that pervades his work. Now, to this we have no objection whatever; but, we would just remark, that the

To this we most heartily say, Amen; and should have been happy if this reviewer had practised what he applauds. But, he adds-" At times, indeed, we have been a little afraid lest the Doctor's compliments to some of his opponents should be misunderstood." Why so? are they ambiguously expressed? or are they paid at the expense of any of the important points for which he contends? No :-but, "We do not observe any complimentary language in the Bible to the perverters of the good ways of the Lord. We can view Socinians in no other light than that of enemies to the cross of Jesus Christ; and, as such, we can employ towards them no terms which admit the existence of candour, humility, or devotion, in their mode of treating the sacred Scriptures."

And does this reviewer really suppose that he stands on a level with the writers of Scripture? We fear the Socinians will suspect him to be one of those self-appointed ambassadors, who are perpetually running the parallel between themselves and the apostles, without being able to shew the necessary resemblance. But, he immediately

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informs us that, "In the Socinian use of that expression, he holds, on such a theme, 'tis impious to be calm." We suppose, then, that had he undertaken the work of Doctors Smith and Wardlaw, instead of recollecting that the Bible is the free gift of Heaven to Unitarians and Trinitarians in common, as much as the air they breathe, or the sun that shines on them; and that they both approach it as fallible creatures, and equally regarding the sacred injunction-"Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind," he would have at once advanced towards Mr. Belsham, and thus addressed him:-"O full of all subtilty, and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord." Such a Philippic we could easily excuse from Dr. Hales, or the Right Rev. | the Bishop of Raphoe, but for a reviewer in a work which professes to be regulated by the principles of independency, thus to attack Dissenters, appears not a little inconsistent.

is as a professed disciple and minister of HIM, who came into the world to save sinners,' is a question too awful for human decision: it will be determined in its own time by the RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, from whom the Lord grant that he may find mercy in that day!' What is there in all this, we would ask, that is in any way liable to misconstruction? justice and truth required such a testimony; and, truly, the cause for which the Doctor pleads, can well afford it. When religious controversy shall cease to be the medium of malignant invective, and personal abuse; when the advocates of Christianity shall renounce every hidden thing of dishonesty; and, despising the use of all carnal weapons, shall speak and write of the things of God, in sincerity, as in the sight of God, and in the prospect of the review of the day of the Lord, then, and not till then, can we reasonably expect it to be productive of much good.

And such, to us, appears to be precisely the path pursued in the writings If Mr. Belsham, and other Unitarian of Wardlaw and Smith: as far as the writers, have been guilty of misrepre- Socinian controversy is concerned, this sentation respecting the sentiments of is a new thing under the sun; the good their opponents; if they have con- that has already been effected by the descended, as it is well known they have former, is too extensive to admit of dedone, to treat with indecent ribaldry tail; and, without a doubt, the latter and profaneness, subjects the most will also speedily obtain a wide circuawfully sacred, sneering instead of rea- lation, both in the eastern and in the soning, and substituting contempt for western hemispheres. We have no candour, are they to be combated most idea of separating between what we successfully by the use of the same firmly believe will be the happy result weapons? surely not. We may, it is of these writings, and the accompanying true, by such unhallowed means, suc- agency of divine power; but, then, beceed in pressing into our service some cause we know that the divine agency of the baser passions of the human uniformly connects itself with such mind, making them for a time bear means as are most consonant with the upon our opponents; but, we should divine mind; because these works are recollect, that when we have gained the production of men, who, by their our point, by affixing odium to the extensive talents, their meekness, their characters of others, we have not wisdom, the calm and peaceful manner thereby subdued error, the only legi- in which they have pursued their intimate end of religious controversy. quiries, and the unequivocal display of But, let the reader judge for himself human kindness manifested in their how far “ the Doctor's compliments to writings, shew that they were extenhis opponents are suited to excite fear sively under the guidance of such lest they should be misunderstood." agency;-and, because "the words of The most alarming of these is the fol- the wise are as goads;" because the lowing compliment to Mr. Belsham - words of wise men are heard in quiet, "The author of the Calm Inquiry is re- more than the cry of him that ruleth spectable for his age, his knowledge, among fools, we are absolutely certain and his talents, for the amenity of his that these productions will live, and be manners in social life, and for the venerated, when the plough-share of obvariety, the copiousness, and the agree-livion shall have passed over all those ableness of his conversation. What he little works which have been con

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mate, that he was the minister of his human nature. Dr. S. seems to think, that the modern interpreters, to whom he refers, confound two very distinct

bernacle and sanctuary, to signify the same thing. But this seems to be done by the apostle, when he says of Jesus, that he is ", a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle," &c. For, at all events, it must be allowed, that the place where Jesus ministers as the High Priest of the Christian profession is heaven itself, the holiest of all; and in chap. ix. 3. we find the apostle expressly designating-the tabernacle, the place that was beyond the second veil, the holiest of all: that place was evidently a type of the holy place into which Jesus has entered, even heaven itself.

and, coming out of the sepulchres after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city, and were made visible to many," Matt. xxvii. 53. This is certainly a very happy solution of the ap-images when they make the terms, ta parent difficulty, and the way in which the objection, drawn from the silence of contemporary writers, respecting the murder of the children is disposed of, is no less so. Herod had exercised numerous acts of cruelty in murdering his own children, his wives, his nearest relatives, and his friends; after this, as the author whom Dr. Smith quotes, observes, it would not appear a very great matter to order the execution of the children of one town or village and its adjacent country; a massacre which, in a very small place, could not be extensive; since, not all the children, but the males alone, and of them, such only as were under two years old, were cut While, however, Dr. Smith prefers off. Bethlehem was a small town, and the opinion above stated, and supposes of little consideration: the population that the passage contains an allusion to including the neighbourhood, scarcely the miraculous conception, it is but reached a thousand; so that the num-justice to observe, that he says, in his ber of male infants within the pre-own truly modest style, that it appears scribed age, could scarcely exceed ten or twelve. "Josephus makes no mention of the murder of the infants; but, he also consigns to silence many other facts, the truth of which is indubitable, and which could not be unknown to him. It should, also, be considered, that, excepting Josephus, there are no contemporary writers extant, nor do we even know that any ever existed, from whom a reference to these facts could be expected."

We do not think, however, that the learned author of the Scripture Testimony is so felicitous in his attempt to find a reference to the fact of the miraculous conception in Heb. ix. 11, 12. By the term," Tabernacle," he seems to think is meant our Lord's humanity; and that the words, "which the Lord pitched and not man," imply its miraculous formation! This opinion is supported by the names of Calvin, Grotius, Cappel, and Owen. But, although it has certainly a shew of plausibility, and displays considerable ingenuity, it is attended with insuperable difficulties. For, if by the tabernacle here mentioned, our Lord's human nature is signified, then the language of the apostle in the 12th verse would intimate, that Jesus entered his human nature with his own blood; and the language of chap. viii. 2. would inti

to carry an implication of the fact; and, that the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews seems to put the outer tabernacle as the sign of the flesh, or human nature of the Messiah. We shall close our remarks for the present, by observing, that, although in no part of the epistolary writings this important fact is referred to in express terms, there are numerous passages in them which clearly imply all that it involves; and, perhaps, those passages which assert the immaculate purity of Jesus, while they represent him as in all things made like unto his brethren, are not least in point.

[To be continued.]

Letters to W. Wilberforce, Esq. M.P.to which is added, an Answer to Melancthon, his Vindicator: demonstrating the inconsistency of a Protestant Christian, and the impolicy of a British legislator, in advocating the Roman Catholic claims. BY AMICUS PROTESTANS. London, Simpkin and Marshall, 1822, pp. 260, 8vo. price 5s. 6d.

We are unwilling to lose any time in calling the attention of our readers to the publication before us. The subject of which it treats is of momentous im

port to the vital interests of the empire, and it is discussed in these pages in all its multifarious bearings, by one who has evidently bestowed much time and pains in making himself master of it; and, though there are certain points connected with it, on which we are compelled to differ from him in opinion, for he is evidently an advocate for a national establishment of Christianity, we must, nevertheless, do him the justice to say, that his volume has deeply interested us; it abounds with information respecting the history, the spirit, and the existing state of the Roman Catholic church; and, at the present moment, it is entitled to the peculiar regard of our countrymen.

readers with any thing like an analysis of the contents of these letters-to attempt that, would carry us far beyond the limits which the number of our columns imposes on us. But, we shall make room for a few extracts, merely for the purpose of shewing the spirit with which our "Protestant friend" opposes the Catholic claims, and intersperse a few general remarks on his positions and reasonings.

The first letter is introductory to the series, and presents us with the author's apology for entering upon the undertaking, and for addressing himself to Mr. Wilberforce in particular. Alarmed at the experiment which that gentleman seems desirous of making, in granting the Catholics their claims, he expresses his fears that all the fair and wellearned fame which Mr. W. has acquired from the liberation of the Africans, will be completely overthrown by the way in which he is now inadvertently forwarding the subjugation of the Europeans, in the revival of that ancient and degrading system of Ecclesiastical tyranny, from which the Reformation and the Revolution delivered us.

The first hundred pages of the work consist of a series of Letters, twentyseven in number, addressed to Mr. Wilberforce, and issued from the press through the columns of the Morning Post newspaper, between the 22nd March, and the 6th July, 1821, during a part of which time the Roman Catholic claims were under discussion in Parliament. It is difficult to conceive what inducement the writer could have in selecting "The Morning Post" for the medium of his communication; paper that is scarcely read beyond the purlieus of Carlton House, unless it were a determination that, if possible, these letters should meet the eye of the monarch. But, this ill-judged plan (as it appears to us) rendered it the more necessary to collect them into a volume, and lay them before the public in their present respectable form. During their original publication, however, they attracted the notice of a writer, who, under the signature of Melancthon, animadverted upon several parts of them, through the columns of the same paper, vindicating Mr. Wilberforce, and the claims of the Catholics also. To Melancthon, the author has now replied in fourteen additional letters; and, we are glad that he has been stimulated to do so, because the attack made upon him by his opponent, has compelled him to throw additional light upon the subject of his former letters--to strengthen his reasonings by the testimonies of Locke, and Bacon, and Hooker, and Puffendorf, and other eminent authorities, in consequence of which these supplemental epistles are even rendered more In the second letter our author prointeresting than the former series. poses to the consideration of Mr. W. We cannot undertake to furnish our "the fundamental difference which sub

"Your name, Sir, so far from going down, in that case, to our children, with the blessings of our Protestant Church and Empire upon it, will descend to them only as a melancholy proof how far a well merited popularity may be abused at the very zenith of its elevation; and how easily a Senator who has deserved well of his country, may outlive his acknowledged usefulness, and by and desecrate the patriotic labours of a one grand and irreparable error, neutralise whole political life. I mean no idle compliment when I say, that the influence of your name and character is deservedly great and extensive; but, in the same proportion, that such an influence may be exerted for our common happiness, in no less a degree will that influence be perilous and fatal, if any fundamental departure from the sound and well-tried policy of British

legislation should be the conseqnence of the course, which, after much of hesitation and doubt, you have at length determined to pursue. The errors of a private person (says Mr. Burkitt, in his funeral sermon for Gurnall,) are like the defects of a pocket watch, which only affect an individual ; but, when persons of an eminent station and character are mistaken, it is like the townclock going wrong-it misleads a multi

tude."