have been hailed as an aufpicious fignal by "filthy talkers and jefters," proclaiming that the first covenant may be lawfully turned into ridicule. Can a public corrector of taste and morals be juftified for describing, as an "exquifite addition" to a poem, "a droll transformation of the "story of Nebuchadnezzar and his fiery "furnace, with the three Hebrew fala"manders who could not be burnt;" owning, "that for this burlesque exhibition of "his Majesty of Babylon they owe to the playful poet a hearty laugh?" Was the editor of this critique aware, that the book in which this affecting narrative is contained was authenticated by two exprefs quotations of our Lord; in one of which he acknowledges Daniel's prophetical character? Does a jocular parody of a folemn and inftructive event, recorded by one whofe prefcience is divinely * See Matthew, 13th chapter 43d verse, 24th chapter 15th verfe. L 5 attefted, attefted, become him who, as a Chriftian, must defend the verity of all our Lord's affertions* ? The following anecdote is given on newspaper teftimony, with a wifh that it may have had no foundation in truth; for it will then act as a caution, instead of a cenfure: A New Jerufalem teacher furreptitiously obtained an appointment to a meeting belonging to fome regular diffenters. A trial at law enfued; and the preacher, who had been an itinerant mufic-mafter and petty fhopkeeper, was defended by his very elaborate counfel, who is faid to have introduced David's skill upon the harp, and the humble profeffions of the apoftles, as a parallel that was applicable to this fchifmatic's change of occupation. Did this learned gentleman not know, or did he purposely forget, that these apoftles were miraculously endowed by the Spirit of God with all knowledge, all faith, and the power of curing all diseases? What refemblance then can poffibly exist between these supernaturally inftructed teachers, and an ignorant and (as was clearly proved) knavish mechanic? Surely the wit of this abfurd comparison is too ftrained to pafs, even in a careless auditory, as an excufe for its falfehood and irreverence. A thorough A thorough acquaintance with holy writ will inspire fuch habitual reverence for it, as a whole, as muft prevent us from encouraging thofe degrading parddies of any detached part of it, which fome voluble unprincipled rhymers brought into fashion, whofe works are now happily finking into the oblivion which they de ferve; I hope, never more to be revived or imitated. In the writings of a certain florid genius, whose richly dreffed poetry for fome time directed the national ton (I will not call it tafte), there are feveral allufions to the narratives of holy writ, which, though feriously worded, are des graded by being applied to petty fimilitudes. Since we are affured in the New Testament, that “all Scripture" (by which the Jewish Scriptures only could be meant) "is given by infpiration;" fince the two moft extraordinary, and, it fhould feem to us, improbable occurrences which they L 6 contain, contain, the hiftories of Jonah and Balaam, are confirmed, the former by five comparisons in the difcourfes of our Lord, the latter by the inferences of St. Peter and St. Jude; "droll transformations of "narratives," or even light allufions to biblical histories, must be considered not only as criminal in those who thus abuse their talents, but as arguing great ignorance of the foundation of their religion, and its connexion with Jewish history, in every admirer of thefe perverted efforts of wit and ingenuity. The ftudy that I fo earneftly recommend will, if affifted by the invaluable labours of found and able expofitors, enable you to repel many oblique attacks which may be made upon your faith, on account of the feeming incongruity of particular incidents. The miracles of our Lord have not escaped the petulant criticism of short-fighted cavillers. They are are faid to have been limited and puerile; and certainly they were upon a lefs grand and awful scale than the impreffive wonders which freed the Hebrew captives from Egyptian bondage, and prepared them for the reception of the Mofaical Our Lord came to a people covenant. who were in expectation of a wonderful perfonage; to a nation by whom it was pre -ordained that he was to be rejected and facrificed; yet among whom he was to meet with many converts, and from whofe narrow region his gospel was to burst like' a refiftless torrent, and overflow the world. The power of working miracles, which was in the first instance confined to the Jewish Lawgiver and High Prieft, was in the latter, with great propriety, extended to every ambaffador who bore this high miffion to any part of the world. As in the Afiatic' and Grecian cities, fo on the barren rock of Melita, and in the remote confines of imperial |