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Untitled Article
who is not heartily ashamed that he should have set his name to a publication so utterly destitute of candour , and in which the want of argument is supplied by the lowest abuse ? On which side will a stranger naturally suspect the defect of argument to rest ? On the disputant ^ who preserves , or on him who loses his
temper ? It would be an endless task to discuss at length all the subjects which are animadverted upon by this gentleman , and would occupy a volume instead of a letter . But . it fnay not be amiss to exhibit a specimen of the illiberal manner in which he treats
those who chance to deviate from the right line of orthodoxy . There is no subject which seems to rouse the reverend gentleman ' s ire to a more alarming height , than the explanations which are given in the Improved Version of the texts which
relate to angels , devils and demons . The principal writers , from whom these interpretations are borrowed , are Lowman , Farmer , Wakefield , Simpson , Sykes , &c , whose names may not perhaps be familiar to the author of the " Trinitarian ' s Appeal , " &c , or whom he , perhaps , may
regard as " buzzing insects , " but who will ever be held in the very highest estimation by every lover of sacred literature , on account of their distinguished pre-eminence in sagacity and learning , and especially for their calm , intrepid and persevering investigation of theological truth . The esteem in which the doctrines of these critics
are held , and the manner in which the supporters of them are treated by this author , may be seen in the following specimens .
P . 54 : « They ( the Editors ) endeavour to exclude the idea of angels from many parts of their text , in a way most uncritical , and 1 believe I shall be justified in saying , truly monstrous . "
P . 56 : " They pay no attention to the interpretations of the texts by the Fathers . * — « These things have no weight with them : possibly they could not have any weight , because t
he } knew them not , and were too indolent or conceited to iuquire after them . "— «« Thus blundering on in the extravagance of their own ignorance and conceit , they publi&h such extra-
Untitled Article
vagant crudities aa school-boys might be ashamed of . The perfection of thjeir extravagance , however , upon the sub * jectof angels , must be learned from the first chapter of the EpistJe to the Hebrews—a display made , I fear , from the base motive of apprehension that Christ would be exalted above
the rank and dignity allowed him in their system , if the common and tyue translation were admitted . ' * . Thus does this Christian priest take upon himself to judge of the secrets of the
heart , and presume to impute to his brethren the basest motives , merely because they differ from himself in the interpretation of a text of . Scrip- ' tare .
The writer then proceeds to cite and animadvert upon the translation of the first chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews , in which the Editors have introduced considerable variations from the Public' Version , and even from that of Archbishp
Newcome , which variations are supported by the authority of Wakefield , Sykes , Emlyn , Lindsey and others , which are expressly cited—but which are treated by this very profound critic with the most insufferable arrogance . For example , in the third verse , they
have adopted Mr . Wakefield ' s translation of-the first clause , *' % \ ho being a ray of his brightness and an image of his perfections . " Now hear the oracle , p . 60 : " Why is , what I believe we properly read , * the brightness of his glory , " read , * a ray of his brightness' ? Diet the translators not
know that a to before aTvavyucriAa , was not to be expected after w ? Perhaps they did not know any thing of the matter 5 I am ready to believe their ignorance is their defence /* How kind is this gentleman \ How candid to poor , ignorant , illiterate Wakefield , who , till this sun of
literature rose upon the world , was regarded as one of the first scholars of the age ! Dr . Sykea has asserted and proved , that the word atcoveq signifies ages or dispensations : and few theological scholars who have succeeded him , have disseuted from liim .
But what saith our inspired author ? ' * We want some higher authority than Dr . Sy kes / Again : Mr . . Lindsey thought that the decorum of mo * dern times required the substitution of the word adopted for begotten ;
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On the Rev . Samuel Newton ' s Objections to the Improved Version . 5 S 5
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1819, page 535, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1776/page/11/
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