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But this is not all the evil which the Doctor perceives in this fubftitution.

"The predeceffors," fays he, "of the good men (who compofed the committee which propofed thus to alter the formula, entertained opinions and withes very different from theirs; they gloried in being the defcendants, and the only true reprefentatives of a national church; and, having laid their foundation on the Scriptures, they made the ftandards, adopted by the eftablished Church of Scotland, in her pureft times, in the years 1647 and 1648, the corner-ftone of their new church. Ever fince their feceffion, they have carefully preferved the memory of their defcent, and held up the national church as the point to which they wished to return, whenever certain obftacles fhould be removed but now, they will have nothing in common with the Church of Scotland, not even her Standards, which they themselves had fubfcribed, as the confeffion of their faith, which they were folemnly engaged to adhere to, and according to which, they had bound all parents of their fuafion to educate their children :- now every fence is to be pulled down by the daring hand of innovation-and every thing which promifed ftability to the caufe of Proteftantifm is to be removed. We behold the doctrine, worship, difcipline, and government of the famous Church of Scotland, fet afloat on the ftormy fea of the present times, and the Seceders-the Burghers Seceders!-committing this fmall bark to the variable winds of innovation, er the fierce tempeft of infidelity."

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This is, indeed, a difmal profpect; but it is a prospect, which the good Doctor must have viewed through a falfe medium; for the caufe of Proteftanti im might certainly continue ftable, though every of the Scotch Confeffion of faith; of the acts of Affembly in 1647 and 1648; and of the Affociate Synod's formula were annihilated. For the Church of Scotland we have a very fincere refpect. Her clergy are men of liberal and enlightened minds, the friends of civil order and of true religion; and as fuch they fhall have our cordial support against every Jacobinical fect which may labour to leffen their influence among their people: but God forbid that we should think more highly of their famous church than of our own, or approve of the conduct of that man, who, in times like the present, hall by fuch unguarded expreffions as thofe of Dr. Porteous labour to fet the two churches at variance. If, by the cause of Proteftantifm be meant the caufe of Chriftianity purged from the errors of the church of Rome, we must have leave to think that it has been, at leaft, as ably fupported at home by the Clergy of the Church of England as by thofe of the Church of Scotland; and which of the two churches has been looked up to by the Proteftants abroad as the bulwark of the Reformation, Dr. Porteous needs not be told, unless he be a greater ftranger than he ought to be to the history of the

reformed churches.

Hitherto we think the Doctor's attack upon the feceders neither judiciously planned nor ably conducted; but after his ufelefs fkirmithing with their propofed Formula, we find him occupying ground whence he annoys them with force irrefiftible.

"The Rev. Mr. Frazer (fays he

has explain ed to us the miner in which

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this measure was fuggefted, or recommended to them.-Many years ago, a pamphlet was published, which has gone about whispering in the ears of young Burgher minifters, that all legal eftablishments of religion are improper and unwarrantable.'-This opinion has been adopted by fome members of the Burgher or Affociate Synod.-This Synod, with all the prefbyteries of which it is compofed, have "borne" with those who avow this opinion; they have made no distinction between them and other brethren; and now, that their profeffion may harmonize with their real principles, they renounce all prefent or future connection with the established Church of Scotland, even in the pureft times of prefbytery*"-In this manner they have been led, not only to bend, but to break thofe ftandards they had engaged to maintain, and one confiderable part they have thrown away with difgrace: henceforward, inftead of building on the authority of the Affemblies 1647 and 1648, their new church is to be built on the authority of fome future act of fome future Synod, who may reject or introduce whatever they pleafe. Their plan, at prefent, is to pull down, not only established churches, but their own; and when the work of deftruction is fully accomplished, we are to wait for the new church, and to expect the model of it in an embryo act of the Affociate Synod in the year 17-. They, too, must have a revolution; conftituted authorities must be pulled down.-They-will leave it to others to build a new confeffion and catechism, in the year 17—.”

This is a heavy accusation, and we are afraid it is too well grounded; for Mr. Peddie, who, in his fcurrilous defence of the Affociate Synod, repels, with fuccefs, the Doctor's former attacks, makes no other reply to this, but that he "knows of none of the Burgher feceders, who have written against establishments; and that he knows of fome who have written in their defence." He does not deny that fome members of the Affociate Synod have adopted the opinion that all legal eftablishments of religion are improper and unwarrantable, or that the Synod, with all the Prefbyteries of which it is compofed, have borne with those who avow this opinion. He fays, indeed, that they rejected Mr. Frazer's petition, and that they did not inquire into the accuracy of the petitioner's ftatement! If they be, indeed, friendly to eftablishments of religion, the omiffion of this inquiry was very strange and very culpable; for if Mr. Frazer's ftatement was falfe, they ought to have reprimanded him for writing a libel against his brethren; and if it was true, they ought to have cenfured fuch brethren as maintain the dangerous opinion that all religious eftablishments are unwarrantable. As they did neither, we must believe that this charge, brought against them by Dr. Porteous, is founded in truth; but if it be, his reafonings from their propofed alterations of the Formula, which, confidered by themselves, are extremely childish, have in conjunction with this circumftance confiderable weight. No man, who is an enemy to all eftablifhments of religion, is entitled to much credit, when he profeffes his attachment to the conftitution of the State; for unfupported by the fanctions of a national religion, the beft poffible civil conftitution cannot be permanent.

Dr.

* "Does the Doctor indeed think, 1647 and 1648, the pureft times of prefby. tery? We truft, and are perfunded, that few of his brethren think fo."

Dr. Porteous requests the Affociate Synod, and we beg leave to request our readers of every denomination, to reflect

"That, till within the last fixteen years, all lawgivers have thought it neceffary to the well-being of the ftate, to have an established religion.

"That God himfelf was pleased to give an established religion, which has led many plain men to believe, that there is no moral evil in legal establishments of religion; and that they have not ALL been improper and unwarrantable.

"That in the hiftory of Providence, as foon as miracles were entirely withdrawn from the church, establishments were introduced, and have been hitherto bleffed, as the great means of preserving and diffufing the knowledge of religion.

"That the recent inftances of fubverting the legal establishments of religion, as they have not improved the people, fo they cannot yet command our approbation. In America a very large proportion of the people are deftitute of public inftruction in religion, and of opportunities of public worship. The number of apoftate parishes is every year increafing confiderably; and when the worship of God is once abandoned by a people, how can we hope that a fucceeding generation, trained up in ignorance and ungodlinefs, will be at the expence of restoring and fupporting the worship of God-a religion which they neither know, nor believe, nor defire.-A voluntary church will no doubt be fupported, wherever religion is believed and loved; but where it is not even known, humanly fpeaking, it can never be restored, or maintained, without a legal establishment.-A voluntary affociation for worship prefuppofes a pro. feffion of religion; but it can be of little ufe to thofe who are hoftile to it, and do not confider themselves as being under any obligation, or as having any right, to enter within the walls of their temples.

"The inftruction of an ignorant people must be accomplished, either by miffionaries, or by miracles; and one cannot eafily perceive how it should be thought improper or unwarrantable for a Christian legiflature, or any other fet of men, to fend millionaries in a regular manner to minifter among those who could not otherwise be inftructed; yet fuch an inftitution, if made by the Legislature, would be, in fo far, a legal establishment.

"Befide the above confiderations, there are fome propofitions relating to this subject, which are not matters of doubtful difputation.'

"That the civil magiftrate is ordained of God for the good of the people. "That the good of the people confifts in their fecurity and profperity. "That the Chriftian religion is much better calculated than any other inAtitution, to promote the peace and happiness of the people; or, in other words, the fecurity and profperity of states.

"That if the civil magiftrate ftudy the good of his people, he will recommend the Christian religion to them, he will provide for their inftruction in it, and by fo doing, he will, in the most effectual manner, fulfil the purpofes of his ordination and office; nor is it easy to fuppofe, on what grounds the civil magiftrate can be precluded from the application of religion for the good of his people.

"That if any man, under pretence of religion, teach doctrines inconfiftent with the peace, fecurity, and profperity of the people, it is furely incumbent on the civil magiftrate to be a terror to eyil doers, and he must not bear the fword in vain :-On the other hand, if any man, or fet of men, teach the pure, peaceable, and blissful doctrines of the Prince of Peace, it is furely incumbent

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incumbent on the civil magiftrate to be a praise to them that do well; and he, as well as every other Chriftian, is bound to obey the law concerning those who serve at the altar, that they fhall live by the altar; and, as a Christian magiftrate, it is incumbent on him to enforce that law.

That lawful authority has a great deal to fear from impiety and irreligion, appears from the recent history and prefent condition of France :-That it has likewife much to fear from mifguided zeal, appears from the hiftory of the Anabaptifts in Germany-of Clement and Ravaillac.(He might have added from the Affemblies of 1647 and 1648.) On the other hand, lawful authority has much to hope from true religion. Some duties muft furely be connected with thefe hopes and fears. By the latter, the magistrate will be im. pelled to discountenance all impiety, and all falfe religion; by the former, to encourage and fupport true religion."

As we do not mean to ftain our pages with the abufive language of Mr. Peddie, of his pamphlet we fha I fay, that it contains many paflages which difplay both ingenuity and acuteness; that he has laid hold of the weak parts of his antagonist's work, and expofed their weaknets fometimes with argument, fometimes with coarfe ridicule, and often with infolent invective; and that he has with confiderable addrefs exhibited as harmless the act of forbearance, the propofed alterations of the formula, and the preamble which the Synod has adopted. He has not, however, evinced the neceffity of making these innovations, unless he confiders the covenants as bringing him and his brethren under the fame obligation with those who fwore them; and in that cafe, he must be fenfible that it is not in the power of the Affociate Synod to make any alterations whatever without incurring the guilt of perjury. The claufes in the confeffion of faith, which feem to give to the civil magiftrate a compulfory power in matters of religion, have been authoritatively explained by that act of the legislature which repealed the fanguinary laws against herely; after which there was furely no neceflity for a fecond explanation by fo obfcure a body of men as the Affociate Synod of the Burgher Seceders. But if fuch an explanation, by fuch a Synod, would have been unfeasonable at any time, it was more than unfeasonable in the year 1795: it was factious.

"At that time," as Dr. Porteous obferves, "the minds of the people were greatly agitated, the enemies of our peace and liberty were employing every engine to drive them to distraction, and to diffeminate revolutionary principles. Watt and Downie had been recently tried in this country, and convicted of High-Treafon.-Hoine Tooke and Thelwall had been tried in England-Ireland was preparing the weapons of rebellion, which were to be fharpened by theological contention-in a word, Sedition and Treafon were walking about at noon day. When our country was in thefe circumftances, and when our army had been obliged to evacuate Holland, leaving it in poffeffion of the French-then, the Affociate Syncd grafped at the first opportunity of queftioning, and difcuffing the extent of the Magiftrate's power, and of inviting the public attention to fuch topics. Was this one of thefe public deeds' of loyalty of which the Synod fo idly boaft? Was not this a controverfy that tended to ftrife, and which ought to have been fup

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preffed by the hand of power, as well as by the fpirit of the gofpel? And, Now, when by the mercy of God, and his bleffing on the energy of the people, feceders as well as others—now, when the nation is emerging from its dangers, and raifing its head on high, this Synod will whine the fong of loyalty, and yet retain a preamble, which, like a poftern gate, will give them admiffion to the fortrefs of our conftitution as foon as the day of danger

returns."

The only method, that we can think of, by which the Synod may remove these fufpicions arifing naturally from their unfeasonable innovations, and yet avow their abhorrence of religious perfecution, is to come forward in a body, and openly abjure the Scotch national covenant, and the folemn league and covenant, two engagements which they must know to have been repeatedly declared illegal by the Legiflature. They will then have no occafion for acts of forbearance, or preambles to the formula, to convince the public that they are men of as liberal minds, and of as undoubted loyalty as the members of the eftablished church; but while they continue to quibble as they do in this addrefs upon the obligation they are laid under by the oaths of their ancestors, especially fuch rebellious oaths, it will be impoffible for them to make any innovation in their church without exciting well grounded fufpicions of their own loyalty.

Literary Antiquities of Greece, as developed in an Attempt to afcertain Principles for a new Analyfis of the Greek Tongue; and to exhibit thofe Principles as applied to the Elucidation of many Paffages in the ancient Hiftory of that Country. To which are added Obfervations concerning the Origin of feveral of the literal Characters in the Ufe among the Greeks. By the Rev. Philip Allwood, A. M. Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge. 4to. PP. 621. White. London. 1799.

HERE are, certainly, many paffages in the ancient hiftory of the Greeks, which have never undergone a particular inveftigation; or have been confidered only in a partial view. The affairs of Greece, prior to the era of the Olympiads, are involved in great obfcurity. The time, even of the Argonautic expedition, of the introduction of letters into Greece, of the war of Troy, of the taking poffeffion of Peloponnefus by the Pelopians, and of the firft fettlements of the Cecropians and Cadmians in Attica and Boeotia, are dates, which, with many others, have never yet been fatisfactorily afcertained.

In treating thefe fubjects, ancient writers have run into various errors and abfurdities; and they have indulged much in allegorical defcription. The Titans derived their name (Tit-ain-es) from ther temples or high altars to the fun. Hence thofe temples were themfelves perfonified, and changed into giants of an earth-born race. The epithets yyyevels and yyares well exprefled both their origin and dimenfions. Demeter was confidered by the Greeks the fan.e Ty My ups and Typhon was fuppofed to derive his name from TuQw.

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