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guments, which proceeded from the pens of the most distinguished writers, to place them in a clear light, to bring their different brilliant rays into one strong focus. Convinced, as I am myself, I trust I shall be able to convince you. The cavils of futile objectors will then have little or no effect, they have repeatedly mixed up the "ridiculum" with the "acre," they have had recourse to the sneers of levity, to wilful misinterpretation, nay more, to alterations and to garbling of the sacred text; but the student in divinity well knows that even their boldest attacks have been successfully resisted, that their most daring assertions have been refuted and repelled by the shield of truth, and the whole armour of God." Yet the enemy will never suffer us to be at rest, much less to sleep at our posts; new opponents perpetually arise, and call for new defenders:* as in common war

*For instance Mr. Belsham has recently published four octavo volumes, entitled "The Epistles of

fare, troops of a different species are necessary for different objects and services, so, in the divine contest, a different mode of writing, and different qualifications are requisite, to oppose the various attacks of our antagonists. Where an attempt to display learning, (though a false attempt) and an appearance of deep research are exhibited by our opponents, learning, real and deep, must be brought against them, the heavy and powerful

Paul the Apostle translated, with an Exposition and Notes." The exposition is wilder, and more absurd (if possible) than his former writings. Dr. Priestley had before presumptuously declared, that he saw no reason why he should believe any doctrine, merely because it was an opinion held by an apostle; and he frequently said, that he did not believe in the inspiration of the Evangelists and Apostles as writers. Mr. Belsham repeats the same assertion in still more offensive terms.-It is useless to point out objects to the blind, who resolve all, which they know not how to contradict, into figure, metaphor, or allegory. Such men always pass by the obvious meaning, and are led away to endeavour to discover something suited to their own prejudices, and something far more mysterious than the plain sense naturally suggests.

might of an Horsley, and of many living giants in literature, are then called into requisition, to overthrow pretended knowledge, and to prevent the less informed members of the community from being awed by this ignis fatuus, and being deceived and bewildered by such perverse and erroneous assertions.

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I recollect that, some years ago, when a set of infidel sneerers were sending forth contemptible libels against Christianity, and repeating the blasphemous jargon of Voltaire, this strong and emphatic observation was made by our late lamented Sovereign, Why does not Johnson mount his dray-horse, and ride over them, and crush these fellows?" Where, however, blasphemous sneers and profane ridicule (detestable though they are) are published, without any attempt to display deep learning, they may be successfully opposed by less powerful attacks; for these reasons I consider that more familiar and less learned dissertations, if

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clear and explanatory of the great points of our religion, may be extensively useful, although the writers of them cannot expect the same degree of worldly honor as the more profound and learned polemic. To those readers who are not capable of digesting, what may be called

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strong meats," the lighter food may be in the highest degree beneficial, and utility ought ever to be the object of all writers on religious subjects, whatever may be the form which their compositions may assume.

With an earnest hope that the contents of the following Letters may prove useful to those readers, who had not before bestowed sufficient attention on the grand and gracious designs of our Creator, I will no further prolong this introductory Address.

LETTER II.

On the Trinity.

BEFORE a building is commenced, it is necessary to lay a deep, firm, and strong foundation. The grand doctrine of the "Trinity in Unity," which will occupy this Letter, depends solely on the authority of the sacred Scriptures, as it evidently is a tenet which could never have been invented or adopted by human reason, and can arise only from Divine revelation; on that rock it stands. I shall therefore, first, make a few observations on the authenticity and Divine inspiration of the Bible. The observations shall be short, for two reasons; one is, because I am confident that you entertain no doubt on that fundamental point; and secondly, because it would be useless to present any arguments to

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