of religion, or on any subject relating to religious or moral principles or conduct; unless, indeed, for the purpose of exposing or refuting the sneers, the calumnies, and the reasonings of infidels. By a quotation without remark, in the manner of that from Gibbon, copied above, a tacit approbation of the matter quoted, and in some sense of the author, is always considered as given. But infidels are not worthy of such an approbation, on such a subject. There is not one of the whole tribe, who is worthy of the least confidence on any topic, which has a direct or remote reference to christianity. We mean intrinsic confidence. They may state a transaction in history correctly, where they would be sure of detection, and would fail of their object, if they used misrepresentation. But whenever we lean upon their personal integrity, we shall find it a broken reed. Whenever we look for a fair and candid exposition of virtues and vices, of principles and actions, in their writings, we shall, with sad disappointment, see only ingenuous sophistry, concealed ridicule, artful misrepresentation, or malignant scoffing. From the aid to be derived from such instruction in morals, we beg to be delivered. Nor are we pleased with the flattering epithets, bestowed so liberally by some who profess christianity, on the vilest of infidels. It looks too much like being afraid of their efforts, and that we were therefore desirous of conciliating their favor by heaping flattering titles upon them. We have no opinion of fondling and caressing a viper, while he is preparing to infuse his poison into our veins. Let it not be supposed, that we would deny, that infidels have talents, and learning, and industry, and perseverance ; nor that we would recommend to treat them in a harsh, morose manner. No; we would with great commiseration for their unhappy case, and sincere sorrow for their folly and sin, treat them as it becomes christians to treat the avowed enemies of their divine Savior and his gospel. In the passage cited above from Gibbon he fixes it as a stigma, upon the Ascetics, that they 66 obeyed and abused the rigid precepts of the gospel." The blameable part of their char. acter arose, it seems, from their "obedience, as well as their abuse of the rigid precepts of the gospel; an insinuation of the true infidel cast. We are also told, that these men were "inspired by the savage enthusiasm, which represents man as a criminal, and God as a tyrant." Is it then savage enthusiasm to represent man as a criminal? Few men are hardened enough to deny, that they are sinners ; but here is a philosopher, elevated to such a pitch of presumption and dogmatism, as to call it savage enthusiasm to represent men as criminals. And this in a grave history, where a reader is to look for facts, and not malevolent invective. No sect of christians, nor any individual, who has ever made pretensions to piety, has, to our knowledge, 66 represented God as a tyrant." Many of the best of the human race have been accused of this horrid blasphemy, not only by infidels, but by some who wear the name of christian. This treatment is not new, nor unexpected. They called the Master of the house Beelzebub ! We have seized this occasion of expressing our thoughts on the impropriety of citing such exceptionable passages from an open infidel, and dubbing him with the title of "elegant historian;" thus instructing the youthful and unwary reader, that a man may exert his talents in treating with contumely the Word of Life; and yet, that the very instances of this contumely may be cited, as a display of genius, and as weighty observations of a correct and judicious writer on men and morals. For such is the effect upon the mind of such a reader. As to the Ascetics, they were blameable for disobeying the gospel, and for that only. They never kept a single precept of the inspired volume too strictly; but they injured the cause of religion, and became the subjects of much superstition and error, by introducing into the catalogue of their doctrines and duties, many inventions and refinements of men. This was their sin; and this has been the cause of nearly all the corruptions of christianity. Under the article ASCLEPIAS, an interesting account is intro. duced of four species of plants belonging to that genus, which are natives of the United States, and one of which, the Asclepias Syriaca,abounds in the neighbor. hood of Philadelphia, and is use. ful for making beds, bed-clothes, stockings, cloth, paper, and other articles of domestic economy. Voz. I. New Series. ASSOCIATION of Ideas has a page of instructive matter added to it. A number of errors of the press have been detected in ASTRONOMY, some additions made, and an account given of the Mécanique Céleste of La Place. ATHENS, a township in the interior of Georgia, U. S. the seat of the University of that state, where buildings have lately been erected, and the institution put into operation, should have been inserted by the American Editor. In this number, five new articles are inserted, occupying hardly a page, and forty-nine articles have received corrections and additions. All the new matter, if put together, would occupy about fourteen pages. We would recommend to the American Editors more attention to Geographical and Biographical informa tion, which is peculiarly interest. ing to the people of this country. The public will expect a good account of the cities, towns, rivers, mountains, soil, climate, in short of every thing important in the American States. It is especially desirable, that all the great men, whom these states have produced, since their first settlement, should have their cha racters and lives, faithfully transmitted to posterity in this publi cation. (To be continued.) A Religious Conference, in four Dialogues, between Lorenzo and Evander. By a Layman. To which is added, Leslie's Short Method with the Deists. New York: Collins & Perkins. 1808. pp. 139. 12 mo. THESE Dialogues, we are informed by the author, 2 D "Are the substance of several con versations, which he had with a particular friend, at whose request he was induced to commit them to writ Ing. As these interviews, under divine Providence, were the means of his friend's changing his sentiments, he is not without hope that these dialogues, with all their defects, may be instrumental to enlighten and lead the mind of some enquirer into a knowledge of the truth, who has not the advantage of examining the many learned and valuable publications on the subject." If the author's friend actually "changed his sentiments," it was not well judged to represent him, at the very close of the last interview (p. 117) as having "arrived at the awful gulf of scepticism." In the first dialogue are discussed the doctrines of total depravity, election, natural and moral necessity, regeneration, and the final perseverance of the saints. In the course of the discussion of the first of these subjects, Evander, the evangelical christian, asserts that the goodness of such acts, as sympathy and pity, "depends entirely on the motives by which they are actuated." Did the question relate solely to what constitutes holiness, the illustrations and arguments of Evander might be satisfactory to all evangelical christians; but when, after weighing all these acts in the balance of the sanctuary, and declaring them wanting, he pronounces them blame worthy, he will probably find many sound christians, who will dissent from his judgment. "All actions, which arise from natural affections only, without being regulated by gospel charity, which is the essence of christian love, are blame worthy." p.9. How far this proposition is true in itself, or how far it ac cords with one almost immedi. ately preceding, and with another closely succeeding it, we will not undertake to decide. "They (sympathy and pity) are good, abstractly considered." "They (persons) become more blame worthy in the omission, than in the performance of them only from natural affections." With these passages may also be compared an observation of Evander, p. 48. "If you suppose that a person, while in a state of nature and oppos. ed to God, can in any sense, be in the way of his duty, I must totally disagree with you. The phrase "criminal nature" (p. 10.) will by some who are called sound divines, be thought exceptionable; but the scriptural proofs of human depravity (pp. 11-13) are con clusive. The argument for total depravity, founded on the actions of infants, is weakened, we con. ceive, by the attempt to give it too much strength. selfishness as soon as they are capable "Infants give evidence of total of action; they incline to possess every thing that comes within their reach, &c." p. 10. Such an inclination is common to all creatures. The lamb, as well as the young lion, gives evidence of it. It may be fairly traced to that universal principle, the love of life, implanted in all creatures, by their Creator, as an instrument of their preservation. In reply to a stricture of Lorenzo on the doctrine of divine decrees, as calculated to make unhappy the person who believes it, Evander very justly and judiciously observes: "Mankind have nothing to do with the Divine purposes, but only [with] duties. Secret things belong to God, but things revealed are for us and our children; our duty is clearly reveal ed. The terms of salvation are, "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," while we remain moral agents, capable of repentance and faith; we have no reason to be troubled about the Divine decrees; they can in no way interfere with our salvation, if we comply with the gospel requirements; for we have the veracity of Him who cannot lie, that if we repent and believe, we shall find mercy. He who has unbounded confidence in the faithfulness of God, and is willing to commit himself to his mercy, through Jesus Christ, for time and eternity, is so far from being in an unhappy situation, notwithstanding he is ig norant of the Divine purposes, that he possesses a joy that the world can neither give nor take away." The doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints is well illus. trated and proved, and the objection of its tendency to weaken the motives to virtue and holiness, satisfactorily refuted. (pp 42-47.) Christ, regard themselves no more than their real worth in the scale of intelligent existence." (pp. 6, 9.) The correctness of this passage will not be controverted, if understood to mean that good men, in proportion to their goodness, will render to all their due. It should not be forgotten, however, that the parent principle, advanced by President EDWARDS, has been by some misunderstood, and by others per. verted, and made to involve practical consequences, dangerous, and even destructive to community. Contrary to the clear and discriminating perceptions of this first among our American Di. vines, it has been considered, but we think mistakingly, as the very principle of Cosmopolitism. On this principle, thus perverted, the professed philanthropists of the present day begin abroad to make essays of benevolence, and Some of the positions of Evander we consider, as the mere hy-scale doubtless,) to make kingsally forth, (with some ethical potheses of metaphysical divines, which may, or may not, be true; which therefore, instead of being stated as elementary princi. ples, may properly be classed with the subtilties of Thomas Aquinas. "Total depravity consists, not only in being destitute of holiness, but in a spirit of supreme selfishness." p. 6. This scholastic language is repeated p. 37. The principle of love to being in general, asserted by that acute and eminent theologian, President EDWARDS, is adopted by Evander, who believes that all good christians "exercise universal benevolence; and so far as they possess the spirit of doms and empires happy, in proportion to their "real worth." To secure it, therefore, as far as possible, from misapprehension and perversion, this principle, we think, whenever publicly advanced, requires to be handled in the most skilful and guarded manner. But whatever speculative differences may exist among christians in respect to this principle, it is hoped they will all practically agree to govern their conduct according to common sense and the Bible; and be content to learn first to shew *See a note in a sermon by Rev. Robert Hall, delivered at Cambridge, England. piety at home, and do what in them lies to make them happy, with whom God hath originally united them, by the bonds of nature, or providentially by the bonds of society. We regret that in a work evidently designed for practical use, and too limited for ample and 'satisfactory illustrations, the author should have deemed it necessary to bring into view so many of those abstruse and difficult points, which have perplexed and divided some of the most eminent divines of our country, and are so evidently liable to misconstruction. Few men, like President EDWARDS, when pursuing their researches on those points, have known where to fix the boundaries of inquiry. Adventurers have not been wanting, who, supposedly pursuing his track, have disdained to stop at the Pillars of Hercules. The second dialogue contains "Some of the principal arguments advanced in favor of universal salvation, connected with a temporary punishment, and objections urged against it." (p. 5073.) In answering an argument of Lorenzo, in favor of universal salvation, founded on a detached passage from one of Paul's Epistles, Evander makes the following just and important remarks, which if duly regarded, would prevent much heretical doctrine, and many an idle con troversy: "We may select passages unconnected with the general tenor of the scriptures, that will literally oppose each other; but when taken in the grand connexion, and their true meaning understood, completely har monize." "Popular arguments in favor of the doctrine of universal salvation, and objections against them." (p. 74–94.) The fourth dialogue contains "Several sceptical queries;" and "a concise statement of the belief, practice, and hope, of an evan. gelical christian; the advantages of which are briefly contrasted with the opinions of several different sectarians.” The three last dialogues are well written, and are calculated to check the progress of latitudinarian and sceptical opinions, and to settle the mind in the truth, as it is in Jesus. On the whole, this anonymous work appears to be the produc tion of a contemplative, inquir ing, and pious mind; and though many of its positions are ques tionable, and many of its reason. ings inconclusive, it contains truth sufficient to render it useful, if the reader be diligent to search, and sagacious to distinguish it. To some of its recondite parts, may too justly beappli. ed the "argutiuncula," "conclu siuncula," and "ignava ratio,”, of Plutarch; but, in general, the subjects are important; the reasonings ingenious; the language perspicuous; and the temper, with which the conference is con.. ducted, in the highest degree.commendable. The book is very neatly print. with ed, and on excellent paper, but few typographical or verbal errors. Page 1. Instead of Armenians, it should be Arminians. P. 15. Instead of "with its natural power," within. P. 16. 6 lines from bottom. A semicolon, where there ought The third dialogue contains to be a comma, and an omission |