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others . Among these were Philo and the Gnostics , of whose philosophy we know but little , because few persons now feel an interest in such speculations . The heresies of the Gnostics are , as most , of your readers well know , frequently alluded to in the writings of John and Paul . Now as far as 1
can recollect , it seems that the speculations of these heretics were chiefly confined to the nature of spirit and soul , aud more especially the Divine nature ; and every one knows that the second principle in Plato ' s uncreated Triad was called " The Word . "
Philo imported these notions into Judaism , and upon the figurative style of the Old Testament it was easy to graft a uy theories of this nature . ** The Word" was found in this passage , " By the word of the Lord were the heavens
made , * < kc . This Word was soon made a second aud . living principle , both among philosophic Jews and speculating Christians ; and hence the Gnostic phantom , of which so much has been said and written . As John
in his Lpistles argues against this phantom theory , as applied to the person of Christ , in his Gospel he opposes it as relating to the Divine Being , and says , * ' the Word was God . "
Perhaps we might preserve in our own language the Greek distinction of article and no article , by the following : " The Word was with the Deity , and was Deity . "
These hasty remarks are submitted to those who have studied the subject closely ; and to prevent weariness , I leave off sooner than I designed when I began to write . If such speculations suit the Monthly Repository , I may take a future opportunity of occupying its pages . M . N .
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ment . Connected by the ties , not only of kindred taste , but of warm attachment , with the learnc ^ d of almost all the countries of Europe ( many of which he visited ); the object of zealous and eager controversy there for nearly
the whole of the first half of the eigliteenth century ; his history and correspondence must ( if it could be fully brought before the public ) constitute a great mass of interest , both as it regards himself , and the transactions of that period .
In his own person he fought a Jong and arduous battle in favour of the rising spirit of free and liberal criticism , and flnalty succeeded under the pressure of what might to most have appeared insuperable difficulties , in laying an ample foundation for the works of a series of critics , who have .
in fact , done little more than follow his steps , arid arrange , in the manner which he first pointed out and practised , the greater store of materials which have since been brought to light .
Wetsteim sprang froni a family long distinguished for its learning and industry , several members of it having occupied a very distinguished place in the literature of Europe . The most celebrated was John
Rodolph Wet stein , himself the son of a learned divine and professor of the same name . He was born and spent his life at Basle , the birth-place also of the subject of this memoir . In his 20 th year he had stood a candidate for the Professorship of Greek , and after travelling through France ,
England and Holland , returned to his native place , where he was loaded with academic honours , published several very learned works , and continued , even under the pressure of great infirmities , ( which overtook him early in life , and prevented him from reading or writing , ) actively engaged in the duties of his situation , instructing numerous pupils in the arts of disputation and public speaking . Another relation , John Henry Wetstein , had been some time established
as a printer at Amsterdam . He was also a man of liberal education and a highlycultivated mind . His acquaintance and correspondence with the learned of almost every part of Europe , ou literary aud scientific subjects , was universal . In his trade lie ww also
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248 The Nonconformist . No . IX .
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The Nonconformist . No . IX . Memoir of Wetstein . SHALL not perhaps be deviating I from our objects , in bringing
forward some particulars of the life and writings of John James Wetstein ; a man who deservedly attracted a great deal of attention in his day , and who is in many respects entitled to our warmest esteem and gratitude .
There are few persons whose memoirs might furnish a more ample field for instruction as . well as amuse-
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1819, page 248, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1771/page/36/
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