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fail to chastise thee for thy profaneness to thy Maker, and thy sauciness to his servant." Upon this he drew his sword, and cried, with a loud voice, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" His antagonist was so terrified, that he was presently disarmed, and thrown upon his knees. In this posture he begged his life; which the major granted, on condition that he asked pardon of God in a short extemporary prayer, which the old gentleman dictated to him upon the spot, and which his proselyte repeated to him in the presence of the whole company, to their great diversion.

· ANECDOTE OF ARCHBISHOP TILLOTSON.

SIR JOHN TREVOR, who had been expelled from parliament for the enormities of his conduct, one day meeting the Archbishop, cried out aloud, “I hate to see an atheist in the shape of a churchman.' -“ And I (said the good bishop) hate to see a KNAVE in any shape."

CRITICISM ON HEBREWS, I. 8:

Βελτιον οψίμαθη καλέεσθαι και μη αμάθη. THEOC.

MR. EDITOR.

AM not insensible that, in combatting any established hypothesis, a person may easily expose himself to censure; but as I am well convinced that every man is subject to error, I presume we ought never to be too obstinate for correction. Claiming, therefore, the same lenity which I would grant to others in a similar case, I shall make a few remarks upon a passage of Scripture, which, in my estimation, is not so accurately translated as it ought to be.

In Hebrews, i. the eighth verse is thus translated-"But to the son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is a sceptre of thy kingdom." How this text came to be thus trsanslated is not my province to determine. However, I will give it in the original, and leave every man of candour to judge how far it is justifiable.

Προς δε τον υιον ο θρόνος σε ο Θεός εις τον αιώνα το αιώνα ραβδος ευθοτε 7ος η ράβδος της βασιλείας σε.

I can see no just reason why should not be the nominative to the verb understood, though our translators have rendered it in the vocative case, which, in my opinion, is not warranted by any authority, however it may support a certain hypothesis.

It is evident that the apostle is speaking of as he quotes the seventh verse from Psalm civ. which is as follows

עשה מלאכיו רוחות משרתיו אש להט:

Now if o be admitted the nominative case, the plain literal meaning of the text will be this-" The God (said) unto the son, Thy VOL. IV.

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throne is to the age of the age: a sceptre of righteousness is a sceptre of thy kingdom." It is evident that o, spoken of in the next verse, who is said to annoint the son, is the same who is spoken of in the eighth verse. Vide locum.

QUESTION ON 2 TIMOTHY, III. 16.

B

DEAR SIR,

SHOULD be much obliged to any of your correspondents for an explanation of 2 Tim. iii. 16. and to point out what, in general, we are to understand by the term inspiration.

QUESTION ON 1 JOHN, V. 7.

CRITO.

SIR,

SHOULD be glad to be informed, through the channel of your valuable Miscellany, what are the best reasons for admitting or rejecting 1 John, v. 7. as truly canonical Scripture.

Z. Y.

QUESTIONS ON ATONEMENT.

SIR,

SOME time ago some questions on Atonement were published in your Miscellany, Vol. ii. p. 312, and an answer appeared in p. 343. vol. iii. &c. but the author thereof, instead of taking up those questions, has gone to prove Christ the end of the law and substance of the types, with which I readily agree, having paid some attention to that subject: but the questions on Atonement and Pardon stand unanswered, as they were proposed: for the question was not, Whether these doctrines were true or not; but How the Sacred Scriptures held them forth, as not to clash with or contradict each other? I therefore renew the question to you, or any of your correspondents. As I have waited a long time, and no person comes forward, I request some friend of truth would, as it might give satisfaction to other enquirers beside

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THE REQUST OF A. B. C.

TO THE TRINITARIANS, DUALIANS, AND UNITARIANS.*

THE
Trinitarian table, or rule of Three, taken from the Athanasian
Creed, is is follows:

You are neither to confound the figures, nor divide the substance.
The first figure is 1,-the second figure is 1,-and the third figure

is I.

And yet you are compelled, by this rule, to acknowledge that every one of these ones, is one by itself.

And yet you are forbidden, by the same rule, to say there are three ones for there are not three, but one.

Now, my request to the Trinitarians, is that they would work, and prove the following sums by this rule, in so complete and easy a manner, as to make the rule plain and useful to me :

If I make 3, how many must 12 make?

If 3 make only 1, how many must 72 make?

The Dualian table is, That the Father and Holy Ghost are one; the Holy Ghost being no other than the power, the influence, and operation of God. That Jesus Christ was the very first existence produced by the Father;-that all things were made by him, and that he is called God in the Scriptures.

My request to these is, that they would prove the propriety of the Scriptures in speaking of the Holy Ghost as a person; and, as they say Jesus is not the same in person with the Father-that they would also prove, that they do not make two Gods.

The Unitarian table is, that Jesus Christ had no existence before he was conceived of the virgin, and that he was only a mere man, in whom God dwelt in a wonderful manner. Now, my request to them is, that they will prove, in a plain and easy way, without putting any force upon the texts, that the following passages are not to be understood in their outward, plain, and literal sense.- -John i. 1, 2, 3, & 10.iii. 13.xvi. 28.-xviii. 5.- -2 Cor. viii. 9.-Eph. iii. 9.-Col. i. 159 16.-Heb. i, 2.—Rev, i. 11.—iii. 14.

A. B. C. is neither a Trinitarian, Dualian, nor Unitarian, but is waiting for conviction; and therefore if any of these descriptions will answer his request in a candid, plain, and concise manner, and get their performance inserted in any of the most public Magazines; or, if published by itself, get it inserted in the List of new Publications, in any of the Reviews, they will very much oblige their

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AS

A REPROOF OF DRUNKENNESS.

STYAGES, to make his grandson (Cyrus, who was then about twelve years of age, says Zenophon) think no more of returning to his native country, prepared a sumptuous entertainment, in which he spared no expence, either as to the quantity or the quality and delicacy of meats. Cyrus looked upon all these preparations with a deal of indifférence. And as Astyages seemed very much surprised at it,"The Persians (said he) instead of so many turnings and windings, to satisfy their hunger, take a much shorter way to the same end; a little bread and cresses will do it at any time." His grandfather, giving him leave to dispose of the dishes that were served up, as he thought fit, he distributed thein immediately among such of the king's servants as were present to one he gave because he taught him to ride; to another, because he served Astyages well; to a third, because he was very careful of his mother. Sacas, Astyages's cup-bearer, was the only person to whom he gave nothing. This officer, besides his place of cup bearer, had the post of introducing such as were to have audience of the king; and as it was not possible to grant the favour to Cyrus as often as he requred it, he had the misfortune to displease the young prince, who expressed his resentment upon the occasion. Astyages seemed uneasy that he had offered this affront to an officer, for whom he had a particular esteem, and who deserved it for his wonderful address in discharging his office-"And is that enough, papa, (answered Cyrus) to merit your favour? then I should soon have obtained it; for I'll answer for it, I can serve you better than he." The little Cyrus was immediately equipped in the habit of a cup-bearer. He advanced gravely with a serious air and a napkin over his shoulder, and holding the cup nicely on three of his fingers, he presented it to the king with a dexterity and grace that charmed Astyages and Mandane. When this was done, he threw his arms around his grandfather's neck, and, kissing him, cried out with great joy- O Sacas, poor Sacas, thou art undone." I shall have thy place." Astyages was mightily pleased with him" And well, (says he) my boy, thou shalt have it; nobody can serve me better. But you have forgot one part of the ceremony: which is, to taste of it before you give it." It was, it seems, the custom for the cup-bearer to pour out a little of the liquor into his left hand and taste it, before he presented the cup to the king. "Twas not through forgetfulness, (answered Cyrus) that I did not so."- "What then?" (said Astyages)— "Twas because I apprehended the liquor to le poison."—" Poison! how so?""Yes, indeed, papa; for it is not long since I took notice, at an entertainment you gave the lords of your court, that after they had drank a little of that liquor, all their heads were turned. They bawled and sung and talked like madmen. You yourself seemed to have forgot that you were their king, and they that they were your subjects. At last, when you got up to dance, you could not stand without staggering." -" How, (replies Astyages) does not the same thing happen to your father?"-"Never!" (answered Cyrus)." How then.” Why, when he has drank he is no longer thirsty, and that's all.”

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POETRY.

LINES

Presented by an aged Father to his young Daughter, requesting (in remembrance of him) that they might be

FIXED WITHIN A CABINET

Which he gave her for preserving her Trinkets and other Curiosities.

ALICE, my child, to thee I give

(Safe to preserve from harin or loss)

This Cabinet, which may receive
Thy treasures gay, thy treasures choice.

Whene'er you search your riches o'er,

And draw'r by draw'r amuse your mind,

Think of your never-fading store,

Treasur'd in Christ your richest friend!

Think of his never-ceasing love;

His hands uphold you ev'ry where;

In him to live in him to move,

This treasure seek by faith and prayer.

Think how he intercedes with God,

That thou may'st love, may'st him adore;

That thou the purchase of his blood

May'st be His treasure evermore.

Think on the pray'rs in which we've join'd,
When I was with you here below;

That Christ our treasure we might find
Our stay and staff our journey through.

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