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    this declaration , in saying that the general inclination and tendency of their opinions is this , that in the New Testament we shall find only the opinions of Christ and the Apostles adapted to the

    age m which they lived , and not eternal truths ; that Christ himself had neither the design nor power of teaching any system that was to endure ; that the apostles understood still less of real religion ; that Christ himself erred , AND HIS APOSTLES SPREAD HIS ERRORS . ' *

    m" Now , Sir , If these be the sentiments of Dr . Haffner , as it is well known they are , and as he himself has owned them to the world in his Preface to the Strasburgh Bible , I maintain that he is not only an unbeliever ^ but in some respects worse , inasmuch as his sentiments render him more dangerous than those who with undisguised honesty avow

    themselves infidels . I am not to be frightened by the cry of illiberality or want of charity , nor am I to be told that unsound as were Paley and Locke , that they were as bad as Professor Haffner . I trust , I also with humility recollect who it is who ' maketh us to differ , ' and that it is sovereign grace alone which raises the most glorified saint in heaven above the most abandoned sinner on earth . But

    we are not on this account c to put evil for good * or ' bitter for sweet * and * sweet for bitter ; * we are commanded ,, on the contrary , to try the spirits whether they be of God / One thing , however , I will concede to Dr . Smith , and that is , that Priestley was probably in doctrinal sentiment little better than

    Haffner . Let me also remind the learned Doctor of Dr . Priestley ' s celebrated letter to Mr . Belsham , dated Northumberland , 23 April , 1 B 13 , when speaking of Mr . President Jefferson , he says , * that he is generally considered an unbeliever , ' i . e . an infidel . ' If so , * adds Dr . Priestley , ' he cannot be far from us' !! [ G ]

    " I might produce other evidence to prove that Dr . Haffner is decidedly ' a scoffer at vital Christianity / and I have not lightly made the assertion ; [ H ] but I prefer , both for the sake of brevity and other causes , at present to adhere to the fact of his being a Rationalist , and to that of his having published a preface , abounding in heretical and infidel sentiments . " This Preface , it is true , Dr . Smith attempts to defend . But how does he defend it ? By evading without daring " * Rose on the State of Religion in

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    to contradict the evidence that is brought forward as to its character . If the extracts that have been given from that Preface be incorrectly translated , or direct misrepresentations , let Dr . Smith prove the fact and give his own transla - tion . [ I ] Let him tell us if Haffner does

    not deny the inspiration of the sacred volume ' , [ K ]—if in his Preface he does not treat the word of God in a way that no commentator would treat Thucydides or Aristotle , [ L ]—if he does not degrade , for example , the Psalms of David , by describing them as bearing * in some parts the impression of the yet imperfect

    sentiments of early times '—if that Preface does not blasphemously contrast David as cursing his enemies and Christ as praying for his murderers—if it does not describe the prophets as having no title to the character of inspiration , but merely possessing a certain degree of

    clearsightedness , which gave them a presentiment of distant future events ? In short , I would once more ask , if this * distinguished Lutheran Divine' does not degrade the Saviour to the rank of a mere man , and inculcate that' he had neither the design nor power of teaching any system that was to endure ? ' [ Ml

    * ' Now , Sir , does Dr . Smith imagine that , while he is unable to deny these broad assertions , he can blind the eyes of any intelligent reader by asking a string of questions which simply amount to this—Has Alethia read the Preface in the original ?—Without gratifying idle

    curiosity as to the extent of my knowledge of German , I . will frankly avow that I have not read the Preface in the original , and that the Doctor does me gross injustice in saying that I wished this to be understood by my readers . But I speak to the character of that Preface on no light authority , &c / * * * # * m > m m

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    Intelligence . —German Rationalists . 129

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    VOL . I , K

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    Dr . Smith * s Animadversions on Mr . Hal " dane's Reply . " Homerton , Nov . 15 , 1826 . * ' My object is the advancement of truth and righteous dealing . If that be attained , I shall rejoice , whatever may be the censures or personal inconveniences to which it may expose me .

    m # * * " The following remarks are connected with Alethia's Strictures , by letters of reference . * * w " [ C ] Students and ministers are little

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1827, page 129, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1793/page/49/