On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
Estimate of Strictures on tie Improved Version . —Letter 2 . 181
Untitled Article
fore you a specimen of the reviewer ' s * exemplary modesty . * 6 i The friends /* savs he , u of that religious system which we ivgard as founded in the perfect attributes and govern meat of God , wnd as' delivered by his inspired messengers , have been too inattentive to some of the means of educing and confirming its doctrines . Occupied , certainly to much bet - ter purpose , in bearing the fruits of faith , the works of evangelical
benevolence aod practical holiness , they have not sufficiently adverted to the necessity of critic cal philology ^ an object of great , though of subordinate importance . Of this neglect , however , ; a very different class of men , addi c ted to study or speculation , and adversaries of sentiments which we tieein scripturally pure , have careiiilly availed themselves ; and have employed their more abundant leisure in acquiring , and partially applying , the great resources of scriptural criticism . "
1 might ask this advocate of * critical philology / with what propriety men can be said to bear the works of evangelical benevolence , &c ? But , waving any criticism on his style , which is not always reducible to rule or consonant with correct taste , and -deferring to inquire whether Unitarians are partial or not in their application of the principles of Scriptural criticism , I shall
simply present him with two quotalions : the one intended to vindicate those whom he censures for being addicted to biblical studies ; the other , to rebuke him for his boastful , representation of his own
Untitled Article
party , E 8 pre-cjfuinentJy bearing the works o £ evangelical benevolence and practical holiness . Let him faearArchdeacon Blackburne , * who was no Unitarian , no Socinian , but , as is alleged , a moderate CalvimsU . and , as is
known , a consistent Protestant and exemplary minister . u have always , " ^ observes th at acute writer , ** considered tlus . ¦ duty of Protestant teachers to consist chiefly in endeavouring to raise and revive the spirit of studying the Scriptures , in our re * spec live flocks . "
To the critic ' s pharisaic eulogium on what he assumes to be the f > iiperior holiness and superior activity of the men among whom he ranks himself , . I apply , with a slight variation , Jortiii ' s language , in a letter to a lady that desired his opinion of a book , written by one whose name she had concealed * In answer to a certain declaration , and intimation of the anonymous author , which showed , among other things ^ that bfe had no ex * emplary modesty 5 her correspondent concludes as follows : f
c ; Wbilst your righteous friend thus blesseth himself , 1 bless myself too—but for other reasons . I am really much at a loss what to admire most in this remark of his ; whether theacutencss , orthe modesty , or the candour ,, or th ^ good nature ,, or l . he Christian cha .-rity , with which it equally , abounds /'
Here , Sir , for the present , % take my leave of yourself and youa readers , and remain , Yours , &c . N .
* i * Works , vol . iv \ ioo , f Tracts , vol . il 36 .
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1810, page 181, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2403/page/21/
-