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    over death ; he was therefore ? wortal and immortal : though condemned as an impostor , and rejected as a crucified Saviour , by some of his pretended followers ,

    yet the hojy spirit justified his claims by hia resurrection : though he did not , in indignant triumph , shew himself after rising from the grave to his enemies , he appeared to his apostles : though rejected by

    the Jews , he has been proclaimed as a Saviour to the Gentiles , atu \ embraced a * such by the world and though he ascended the cross in pain and ignominy , he ascended to heaven in glory . "

    From this explanation it appears that , while Paul asserts the doctrine of Christ to be a great mystery , he meant to inculcate I hat there was no mystery at all

    in it ; that it was founded on a few well . at tested facts , namely , the crucifixion ,, resurrection and ascension of Jesus . The mystery was only a figure of speech , and consisted in ascribing to Christ

    the apparently contradictory properties of 5 so $ and < rx %% , divine and human ) immortality and corruption 9 and in the opposition , which each of the succeeding clauses bears to ideas not expressed but understood .

    In chap . iv . 1 . the clause c < doctrines concerning demo us , ' * should , I conceive , be 4 ; doctrines of demons . " For it docs not . appear that the Gnostics taught any

    thing concerning demons ; but it ctoesappear that they taught doctrines , which they pretended to have been inspired by demons , or a divine spirit different i ' roni the

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    . Creator . Under the authority of . strch inspiration , they affected to curse the man Jesus , while they 'embraced the God within him .

    See 1 Cor- xii . 3 . And it is remarkable that in that chapter , the apostle asserts again and again , that there was but one divine or holy spirit . By the claims which they thus laid to inspiration , they imposed ojpon their followers , and seduced others from the truth : and hence

    the propriety of the caution which John , 1 Epist . chap . iv . J . thus gives : C 6 > Beloved , believe not every spirit , but try the spirits ( those spiritual doctrines ) whether they be of God ; because ' many false prophets are gone out into the world /*

    As such impostures , committed to wri t ing , were in circulation , many well-disposed persons were in danger of confounding them

    with the genuine words of inspiration ; the apostle Paul therefore lays down this criterion , which gives his advice the stamp of divinity and truth . * All scripture , " says he ,

    " given by inspiration of God , is also profitable for doctrine , for reproof , for correction , for instruction in righteousness . " As though he had said , Be not deceived by

    falsely inspired writings ; these only subserve the immoral pur ~ poses of their . base authors ; whereas such scriptures as are really inspired of God , have this mark of genuineness upon them , that they discourage vice and edify iiv virtue . " THEOLOOUfc .

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    40 Strictures upon the Improved Version *— -1 Tim . iii . 16 . and iv , J ;

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1809, page 40, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1732/page/40/