*

that, as might be expected, these conflicting and discordant interpreters save us the trouble of confuting them, by sufficiently confuting each other. To give an instance from a late version of the New Testament, prepared by writers of this class. The opening words of St. John's Gospel, "In the beginning was the Word," have, it is well known, been always considered as clearly announcing the plain truth, that the Word, the eternal Son of God, existed in the beginning of all things. It is the business of these new translators to get rid of this interpretation; and for this purpose they propose two different expedients. In the one, they allow the correctness of the rendering, " In the beginning was the Word;" but they escape from the inference by strenuously contending that "in the beginning" cannot mean the beginning of all things, and must mean only the beginning of the Gospel dispensation. In the other, they translate " In the beginning was wisdom :" here they quietly allow all that we contend for, that the expression" in the beginning" means the beginning of all things, and thus at once confute all the arguments which their brethren have used to shew that it cannot bear that sense. They are satis

* See the Notes on John i. in the Improved Version of the New Testament.

fied with avoiding the conclusion, by contending that "the Word" means merely Divine wisdom, and not the Son of God, as has been understood by Christians in general, and as seems to be positively required by the context. At the close of these conflicting translations, these writers have sometimes been known to say that the reader may exercise his judgment in choosing which sense he pleases *. That reader, unless he be bereft of all sense and judgment, will at once reject them all. He will reject them under the full conviction that the translation, which our Bibles afford, which consists with the clear and plain sense of the words, and which the great body of Christians of all ages have sanctioned, must have some claims for his preference. He will be as much disposed to confide in such interpreters, as he would, when travelling in an unknown land, to trust himself to a guide, who, on setting out, merely formed a determination to leave the beaten track which the throng of travellers had uniformly deemed the best, and, provided he did so, cared not into what devious path he strayed. The reader will at the same time conclude, that the mere circumstance of the Unitarians betraying such wavering and uncertainty

*See Belsham's Enquiry into the Scripture doctrine of the person of Christ, p. 37.; and notes to John i. in the Improved Version.

as to the sense which they prefer, proves incontestably the absence of all sufficient reason, grounded on scriptural interpretation, for rejecting the received sense; and excites the wellfounded suspicion that they are driven to seek these new translations, not by any real objection to the correctness of those which are received, but by a predetermined unwillingness to admit the doctrine which they support *.

Guarded then by these cautions and observations against the avenues of error, let us strive to "hold fast without wavering the profession of our faith." Never let us for a single moment tolerate the idea of shrinking from the most nice and severe examination of the grounds on which our faith is founded. It is the proud privilege of truth to solicit inquiry. It is the nature of truth to acquire strength, solidity, and consistency, the further this inquiry is pursued. It is the bounden duty of all Christians to weigh, as they have means and opportunities, these matters for themselves, in order that they may be able to give a sound reason of the faith whch is in them. In proportion as they may find themselves opposed to adversaries who are employing every engine to break up their religion in its strong holds, to shake their belief in its main and essential arti

* See Note Z.

cles; it becomes more eminently the duty of all to arm themselves with that knowledge of the principles on which their belief rests, which may render them firm against all seduction, and secure under every assailment. But-what is very essential—while we strive with scrupulous anxiety to cleave stedfastly to our purer faith, let us feel the great ambition of displaying the spirit of that purer faith in the temper which we display towards these, and all from whom we are divided in opinion. Let us put the most favourable construction on their motives; let us abstain from all acrimony of invective; and from all harshness of expression, which is not strictly called for by an honest feeling and regard for scriptural truth; let us pray for the admission into their minds of those milder and correcter feelings, which, if they do not incline them to. think as we do, may at least dispose them to allow to us that which we are ever willing to allow to them, the credit of conscientiously believing those opinions to be right, which we openly profess. On no occasion let it be forgotten, by persons of any sect or party, that the noblest and the brightest in the circle of Christian virtues is-comprehensive charity towards all men.

SERMON X.

ON MODERN UNITARIANISM.

HEBREWS X. 23.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.

In my former discourse on these words, I have already endeavoured to shew that the principle on which the Unitarian writers proceed, establishes for them no real claim to the title which they assume, of "rational Christians." For, to receive a book as containing a revelation from the Most High God, and after fully admitting that it bears this character, not to come to the interpretation of it with minds prepared to receive with due humility the truths which it declares, on matters which are manifestly above the grasp of our reason; is in itself a course of proceeding which no judicious mind can approve. Nor is it more consistent with a just estimate of our own powers, and of the measure of our knowledge respecting the nature of God and the ways of His providence, to expect to find the truths contained in a revelation from heaven, comprehensible in every part by our limited understandings.