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classical exclamation of tbye Evangelical Editor was occasion ^ ed by an article in the Monthly Repository t ( vol . ii . p- 24 $ ) in which a respectable correspondent of our ' s favoured us with an
account , from the Marseilles Gsu zette ^ of a supposed discovery of the original copy of the apocalypse , in the hand-writing of Cerintbus . In this discovery we placed no j&ith , and our correspondent only requested the opinions of our learned readers on the subject .
Mr . John Clayton jun . ' s late sermon " On the danger of reading improper books , V naturally falls under the lash of our critic , who reviews it with as much petulance , at least , as justice . The sermon contains some
sentiments which must grieve every liberal mind : and had Mr . Clayton , quoted one word further from Martial , in bis first motto , he would have justly characterized his owq discourse , and superseded
all criticism upon it ; the words of the poet would then have denoted , instead of works in com - mon , that only of the preacher , Sunt bona sunt qu&dani medim ocria , sunt mala plura quce legis
Hie . The manner in which Mr . C . speaks of SojCinian preachers , in p . 18 of his Discourse is coarse and ungentlerrianly : this is not the style in which well-educated men now refer to each other . And
the description of a wife , corrupted by noveUreading , p . 14 , is like many of Mr . Collyer ' s pictures in hb Lectures , minute almost to indecency . The title of Mr . C . ' s sermon pQflteins a self-evident truth : ruw liody can , deny the danger qfi reading impropjeic boo ] k * : _ but
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the difficulty remains ; who Js to determine what books are improper ? and hj&w are inaproper 3 bppks to be known to ba such till they are read ? This is not a question ,
it is to be remembered ? concerning the books fit to be put into the hands of children , but concerning those that are fit for the genprst perusal of Christians . Nqw with regard to these , either evei / y man must determine . for . himself * or some one must determine for him .
If he is to determine for himself , his determination ought not to be attempted to be over-ruled : if some one is to determine for blin , it must be either his religious
teacher or the magistrate ; but if the magistrate , what becomes of dissenting principles ? and if the teacher r what becomes of Protcs *
tant principles : in such a case the magistrate would become a tyrant , with no law but his will ; the teacher a pope , arrogating tQ himself infallibility .
But we feel almost ashamed to have to discuss the right of private judgment , ( and evidence , must precede judgment , and in literary
and theological matters baokp sare evidence , ) at this time of day , and with a Dissenting minister * Mr . C . will find a 'complete answer to his sermon in the- works of
JChUhngwortfc ; or if the Arminian churchman will not satisfy-him , he may see himself refuted in the " Nullity of the Romish Faith , " ' particularly the Dedication , by the Calvinistic Nonconformist , Matthew Poole . In short , . we thtyik that by abridging the title , / as well as by lengthening the -ny / tto , the preacher would have / fairly and fully advertised- itte Sermon tQ the . marld ; for the ' burdfeivof it iwiqaesjfippfibly is *** The Danger oir Reaping , '
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J $ p Review . —Oa th $ Nature and Effects of Evangelical f reaching :
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1808, page 106, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2389/page/50/
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