Whatever be the refpective merits or demerits of the works referred to, I know not, as they have not reached me yet (December 1798.) Nor fhould I, as an INSPECTOR OF LITERATURE, have dragged forward into public light and reprehenfion, the puny writer of fuch indefenfible pofitions, on rational, philofophical and fcriptural grounds, had not the officious fedulity of his reviewing friends obtruded them on the Public, and given currency to opinions fo idle and fo noxious, by their unconditional adoption thereof. I am no friend to methodisms of any kind, (or new modellings of Scripture,) licensed or unlicensed, as every page of this work may evince; and therefore, while I reprobate these of Mr. Belham, I do not vindicate thofe of Mr. Wilberforce :-but furely the latter are entitled to more lenity of cenfure, as proceeding from "an honest and good," a pious and patriotic heart, though not perhaps a perfectly clear and well-informed head, verfed in the fçi entific entific study of the Scriptures, fo effential to constitute a critical divine; and whatever may be Belham's merits as a political writer, (with which I am unacquainted,)' I am thoroughly fatisfied of his demerits as a divine-and defcry fomewhat of the gall of bitterness, of overweening fondness for paradox, and of grofs violation of hiftorical truth, even in these short ex tracts. But to proceed to the positions themfelves: 1. That JESUS CHRIST and his Apoftles did not tamely acquiefce in the "mythology, fabulous philofophy, or religious prejudices and popular opinions," of the age,is evident from the whole tenor of the New Teftament, and the "unaccommodating" fpirit of CHRISTIANITY, as acknowledged by its opponents, provoking all that frequency of " perfecution for confcience fake," in ancient and modern times.-In addition to the foregoing fevere reprehenfions of The Baptift and of JESUS CHRIST, against the Jewish philofophizing fects, I fhall fhall state the earneft and anxious admonitions of Paul to his favourite pupils Timothy and Titus, against the Oriental and Grecian Philosophism ;—which it is "strange how Belham, 66 paffing ftrange" how his Reviewers, could overlook or forget: "O Timothy! Guard the [precious] depofit [of HOLY SCRIPTURE] entrusted to thy charge; avoiding, the profane empty verbiage, and paradoxes of the falfely denominated knowledge; which fome profeffing, have erred respecting THE FAITH.-Suggeft thefe, thoroughly witneffing before THE LORD; not to dispute about words, as tending to no profit, but rather to the fubverfion of the hearers ftrive to render thyfelf approved to GoD, as a labourer unabashed, rightly diftinguishing the ORACLE OF THE TRUTH: but the profane and empty verbiage fhun, because it will proceed ftill further in impiety; for their difcourfe will corrode like a gangrene." [O Titus!] Foolish difquifitions, and genealogies [of the Gods], and difputations and controverfies about the Law [and the Gofhel] fhun; for they are unprofitable and vain.' 66 2. JESUS CHRIST and his Apoftles do pofitively affirm " and authoritatively teach the exiflence and agency of an EVIL SPIRIT, called in the Old Teftament SATAN (e) (" the adverfary"), and over all (e) With the ufual idlenefs and hardinefs of affertion which is the characteristic of the modern philofophizing fchools, Paine declares, (vouching Belsham's :) I. "The character reprefented under the name of SATAN does not correfpond to any Hebrew idea.2. “In the [fpurious] book of Job, is the first and only time this name is mentioned in the Bible ;"— ftrangely overlooking Pf. cix. 6. 1 Chron. xxi. 1. and Zechariah iii. 1-2. exactly harmonizing both in name and character, with the Introduction of the most ancient Poem in the world-for fuch is Job's-the most fublime and beautiful alfo, but the most difficult-and the most fully authenticated, by the numberless quotations therefrom, in the Old and New, Teftaments. To the existence and character of Job himself, (who was cotemporary with Abraham's grandfather, Nabor,) Scripture bears the most honourable teftimony, Ezek.. xiv. 20. James V. II. the the Eaft at the prefent day SATHAN or SHEITAN, from the patriarchal age of Job, from the age of David, before the Babylonish captivity, and from the age of Zechariah after :-and in numberless paffages of the New; where it is rendered ὁ πονηρέ, THE WICKED," by way of 66 66 bad eminence; and i artifin," THE ADVERSARY," and reprefented as fynonymous with Alcoa, THE DEVIL, or the [falfe] accufer and "calumniator of the brethren;' ὁ ψευτης και ὁ πατηρ [τε ψέυδες] « the liar, and the father of the lie" (or grand αμοfacy) — ανθρωποκτονα απ' αρχής, apoftacy) a murderer of mankind from the first:”—and whofe titles are thus fummed up from the whole Bible, by John, Rev. xii. 9."The Great Dragon, the Old Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, deceiving the ' whole habitable [world]". Compare Matt. vi. 13. and xiii, 9. with Mark iv. 15. and Luke viii. 12. and Gen. iii. 1. and 2 Cor. xi. 3. 3. They exprefsly establish the popular belief of the "existence and agency of 9.9 that |