so much severity. I obferved what you have cenfured in page 45, of your work, and was grieved at that ill-worded fentence. However, I am convinced that neither Mr. Burder nor Mr. Kicherer believe it poffible for any to be praying perfons until they are converted: to me the meaning of that fentence is obvious, although the mode of expreflion is indefenfible-" they think 300 of the heathen are become praying persons, but they can speak confidently of 40.” Still I am grieved that the report should contain any appearance of a doctrine fo contrary to God's word, as that a man may, while unconverted, be a praying perfon; and I hope your obfervations, if ever they meet their eye, will be of fervice to the Directors of the Miffionary Society, and alfo to the Editors of the London Evangelical Magazine, who are too apt to admit trash into their work, merely because it is fent them by refpectable names, or comes from afar : witness Profeffor Young's Letter, which appears in the Magazine for November laft.

But, Mr. Editor, had it not been better to have fent thofe remarks to London, than to publish them in a work which the Miffionary Directors and Editors of the Evangelical Magazine may never fee? this might have produced a public explanation or acknowledgment of error on their part, and certainly would have been more fcriptural on yours. If your private admonition had been paffed over in filence by them, you would have been left at liberty to rebuke, them before all.

I think, Mr. Editor, that whole piece breathes a fpirit very contrary to that which we find in Philippians, firft chapter, from the fifteenth to the end of verse the eighteenth. But I will not

trefpafs

trespass further upon your time; I wish you fuccefs as far as you are "of the truth"-and It pray God that you may be led into all truth, and be made the inftrument of promoting the bleffed cause..

BIBLICAL

CRITICISM.

LUKE viii. 15.

FIDUS.

BUT that on the good ground are they which, in an honeft and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. The order in which the words of this paffage are placed by our tranflators is very injudicious; it not only cafts an obfcurity over our Lord's real meaning, but makes him appear to advance a principle which is in direct oppofition to the general tenor of his own declarations, and those of his apoftles: viz. that there must be fome good change in the heart, previous to its reception of the word of God: whereas he has commanded the word of God, or the Gofpel, to be preached to every creature; and his apoftles uniformly reprefent IT as that by which men are to be born again, and by obedience to which they are to be purified. See Mark xvi. 15. James i. 18. and 1 Pet. i. 22 & 23. This feeming contradiction will be removed, and our Lord's meaning fet forth without any obfcurity, by a tranfpofitioh of the words which the original text fully warrants. We therefore prefent' our readers with the following literal tranflation. But that on the good ground are they which, having heard the E 3 avord,

word, keep it in an honeft and good heart. From this rendering it is evident that our Lord did not ufe the expreffions, honeft and good, to defcribe the state of the heart, previous to the reception of the word; but that he referred them to that new mind or new heart, produced by means of the word.

S.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE

ADVOCATE OF REVEALED TRUTH, AND INSPECTOR OF THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.

SIRS,

IF the following obfervations appear to you per

tinent, by inferting them in your publication, you will oblige one, who has read and wishes it the defired fuccefs.

ADELPHUS.

MATTHEW Xix. 28. And Jefus faid unto them, Verily Ifay unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man fhall fit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall fit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael. When our Lord had declared the deceitfulness and danger of riches, on the occafion of the forrowful departure of the rich young man, Peter afked, what should be their portion, who had forfaken all and followed him? the above quoted addrefs to his Apoftles, forms our Lord's reply. The words "followed" and " in the regeneration," are generally connected, and in their connection, fuppofed to fignify, either, follow

ing Chrift in being born of water and the Spirit; or following and affifting Chrift in bringing about that new birth. The former explanation is exceptionable, because, 1ft, it might imply, that he, in whom there was no fin, either needed or experienced that spiritual change, by which he might be conftituted their leader in the new birth. 2dly, it does not diftinguish the Apostles from the ordinary difciples of Chrift, all of whom have a new mind and new Spirit given them from above. 3dly, there is no neceffity to give the metaphorical instead of literal meaning of the word follow, feeing that the latter is fignified in Peter's queftion. The latter explanation is also exceptionable, for the second reafon already given.

But if we feparate, followed and, in the regeneration, the paffage will read thus.-Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man, &c. &c.—this manner of pointing, is to be met with in most printed copies of the original in common use, and some copies of our tranflation. Let us fee then what is to be understood by "the regeneration." The word not improperly rendered, regeneration, i. e. a making or formation again, is found but twice in the New Teftament. The other paffage where it occurs is Titus iii. 5.-According to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of REGENERATION and renewing of the Holy Ghoft. There it evidently denotes that fecond birth, preached to Nicodemus by our Lord himself; but in the paffage under confideration, it is diftinguished by the article, being written THE regeneration; the fame peculiarity may be obferved in the original, whence without doubt our tranflators adopted it. By this we are led to explain the term, by the

figurative

figurative expreffions, the new creation of a ner heaven and a new earth. And thus we fhall find our Lord's declaration perfectly confiftent,-ye that have perfonally followed me, and given up all things for my fake, fhall when I fit upon the throne of my glory, making all things new, receive your peculiar reward. And joyfully indeed may the leaft of Chrift's difciples, look forward to that glorious change, when the days of his pilgrimage fhall be at an end; for it is written, God fball wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there fhall be no more death, neither forrow nor crying, neither fhall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.

REVIEW

OF A

SERMON on the DUTY of CHRISTIAN FORTITUDE, preached in the Chapel of TRINITY COLLEGE, Dublin, on Sunday the 7th of August, 1803, by the Rev. GEORGE MILLER, D.D.F. T. C.D.

(Concluded from page 43.)

IT is ufual in the religious world to apply the prophetical descriptions of the kingdom of Chrift to a fuppofed general influence of the Chriftian religion in future times. Of this the prefent difcourfe fupplies an inftance. We dare not determine the application of any prophecies not yet accomplished; but we are led to believe that the fcriptures quoted by Dr. M. in favor of his "moft defirable reformation," will, when compared with other fimilar predictions, and efpe