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proper place for free sentiments , if we would not alter too much at once , or expose ourselves to great inconsistencies . In both cases the innovation strikes as dangerous ; the ecclesiastical searcher finds the contraband goods at once , and falls into a rage . " Semler ' s
method was , to take the Lutheran confession of faith , and under each article to state its history , its scriptural evidence , its relation to the essence of Christianity , and its importance in itself . He appears to have held the divinity of Christ ; other doctrines of the Lutheran Church assumed under his hands a far more mild and rational
aspect than before . We have already seen that he sided with Pelagius in the controversy respecting Original Sin , Predestination and Grace ; the satisfaction of Christ he represented , not as the effect of the wrath of God , but
of the love of the Father and of Christ towards the human race . With whatever caution these improvements were proposed , it is not probable that Sem-Jer could have escaped so easily , had not his public life fallen in the reign of Frederic the Great .
It would have been contrary to all analogy of human nature , if those who bad learned from Semler to go so far in rejecting established opinions should have stood still precisely where he did . We do not doubt that he was sincerelv
a believer in Christianity , which he defended against the attacks of the Wolfenbuttel Fragments : yet it is impossible not to perceive , in his language respecting the use of miracles as proofs of a divine revelation , and the unimportance of the historical
form of Christianity to those who arc capable of entering into its spirit , the germ of the system which has since become so prevalent among his countrymen , in which miracles are altogether discarded , and the events of the gospel history reduced to the level of
natural occurrences . This system is little known in this country , and perhaps , since the death of Mr . Tooke , ( Mon Repos . pp . 54 , 55 , ) has only one other avowed partisan amongst usr
In Germany it still maintains its ground , although it is admitted that the attempts to explain how the miracles of the gospel have originated from patural events have failed , and Paulus , vyhp bad most distinguished himself in
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1 < ; this undertaking , has suspended hi 3 commentary in the middle of John , not finding that popularity as he proceeded which attended his earlier volumes . Believing ourselves that the miraculous parts of the New-Testament history are established by the
same rules of evidence as the rest , and that no separation can be made of them , we do not doubt that the theologians of Germany will return from this extreme of scepticism , and only wish that their rulers , who are beginning to be morbidly sensible to the danger of innovation , may leave the truth to take care of itself .
A complete list of Semler ' s works would be of little use . We shall , however , enumerate the most important of them in each class , according to the order of time . Vorbereitung zur Theologischen Hermeneutik : 4 Parts , Halle , 1760—1770 . 8 vo .
Dissertatio de . / Etate Codicis Alexandrini , 1760 . Dissertatio de Dsemomacis quorum in Evangeliis fit mentio . Halae , 1760 , ed . 4 to , 1779 . Dissertatio quod Paulus Epistolam ad Hebrseos grsece scripserit , 1762 . 8 vo . Jo . Jac . Wetstenii Prolegomena in N . T . cum Notis et Appendice , 1764 . 8 vo . J . J . Wetstenii Libelli ad Crisin
atque Interpretationem N . T . Adjects est recensio Introductions Bengelii ad Crisin N . T . atque Ridley Diss . de Syriacarum N . T . Versionum indole atque usu . Pleraque Observationibua illustravit , 1766 . 8 vo . Historic Ecclesiastical selecta
capita : Tom . I . II . III . 1767 , 1769 , 8 vo A . pparatus ad liberalem N . T . Interpretationem , 1767 , Svo . Paraphrasis Epistolee ad Romanos , 1769 . Paraphrasis in prim am Pauli ad Co rinthios Epistolam , 1770 .
Q . S . F . Tertulliani Opera , Tom . I . 1770 ; II . III . IV . 1771 ; V . 1773 . Commentarii Historici de antiquo Christiujiorum Sjtatu : Tom . I . Tom . II . Pt . 2 . 1771 .
Paraphrasis Evan # elii Ioannis , Pt i . ii . 1771 * , 1772 . Apparatus ad Libros Symbolicos Ecclesiafc Lutherans , 1775 . Abhandlung von der freyen Untersuchung des Kanons : Pt . i , 1771 > A ' 1772 ; ii * . 1773 ; iv . 1774 .
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140 Biographical Sketch of J . S . Semler .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1821, page 140, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2498/page/12/
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