pute for these unhappy times. Every year, nay, every moon, we make new creeds to describe invisible mysteries. We repent of what we have done, we defend those who repent, we anathematize those whom we defended. We condemu either the doctrine of others in ourselves, or our own in that of others; and reciprocally tearing one another to pieces, we have been the cause of each other's ruin." "But now, O lamentable! they are the suffrages of the earth that recommend the religion of I HATE VAIN THOUGHTS. [Connected with p. 269.] It is really surprising how dexterously and cunningly the artifices of fable will fold up the poison of a work in the complications of a narrative. It is commonly supposed by those who look no farther than the surface, that where no opinions are openly maintained hostile to the common principles of christianity, that all is well, and that if the reader's contempt and hatred are directed against acknowledged superstition only, that no harm is done by any fictitious representations. But how often does it happen, that the only symptoms of piety and the only instances of devotion which are permitted to deform the characters of a novel, are introduced only to heighten the ridicule and contempt to which some weak wight is destined, while the favorite actors in the story are as free from all appearance of piety, as if no God existed. Besides it is a common opinion, that in any work the interests of morality are sufficiently secured, if vice be made to lead at last to misery, and virtue at last to happiness. But after having been tempted to palliate the faults of a character for the sake of his rare and dazzling qualities, and to wish a thousand times in the course of the tale, that the institutions of society and the laws of God would relax in his favor a little of their rigor; how absurd is it after all the passions have been engaged on the side of the indiscreet hero, to suppose that the cause of virtue is secured, because poetical justice is administered at last. Further, it is commonly said, that characters should be drawn as they appear in life, with the customary mixture of virtues and vices. If then any readers are more inclined to pity the unfortunate criminal, than to detest his crime and avoid the example, this, it is said, is nothing more than what is daily found in real resign their faith, supposing that "I hate vain theaghts," says David, "but thy law do I love." These two clauses seem to be placed in opposition to each other, as if a love of God's law would correct or prevent the vain and mischievous employment of the thoughts. There is indeed much truth and propriety in the antithesis; for there is nothing which will more effectually cure the disorders of the imagination, than an habitual spirit of rational piety; and nothing which will more certainly rectify the errors of the judgment, and reinstate the fundamental truths of morality, than frequent and faithful appeals to the word of God. Here the airy castle builder, who loves to revolve schemes of future conduct, and rove through fancied Elysiums of his own planting, may learn, that even if all his schemes of bliss should be exe It is indeed to be lamented, that at a time when the means of intellectual improvement are so widely extended, and a taste for reading is becoming universal, the first productions offered to young minds should be fictions, which can hardly add to the head a truth unqualified with error, or to the heart a sentiment without exposing it to be misled. For of all the wanderings of the imagination, none are more dangerous, than those which are generated by the perusal of books in the closet; because to the ignorant and unfortified, a book is an instructor, to which they implicitly cuted on earth, he would still be unhappy; because there is nothing in this world permanent or worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed. Here the melancholy and tender spirit, which loves to dwell in solitude on the joys and sorrows through which it has passed, may find its energies awakened and the twilight of its thoughts illumined by the cheering prospects of bliss and bright eminences of future improvement, which the gospel of Jesus Christ holds out to his disciples. Here to the mind whose moral discernment has been obscured by the dazzling and deceitful light which fictitious histories present, may bring the characters of its favorite he roes to the book of God, and judge what kind of figure they would make in their old places if new modelled in the spirit of Chris tianity or copied from the char. acter of Christ It would soon be seen that the meek, humble, unresisting, unambitious, peace able character of the christian would be set down as a poltron in many a high wrought scene of modern distress, and on many a brilliant theatre of modern courage. Let this law then be the light to our feet and the lamp to our path. In any doubtful point of romantic casuistry, when the judgment seems yielding to the enchantment of the fancy, and under the name of pity, or of charity, or of admiration, or of impartiality, we find our abhorrence of sin diminishing; when full of enthusiasm we look round. in every company, wishing that we could find the creature of our fancy even with all bis imperfections on his head. Let us basten at the first moment of leisure to the law and to the testimony, and keep our thoughts with all diligence, knowing that out of them are the issues of life. BAXTER ON HUMAN CREEDS. Mr. EDITOR, Is the following extract, Mr. Baxter, in a striking manner, mentions some of the effects and evils of framing human creeds as tests of faith. Observa. tions of a man so eminent for his piety and zeal, his labors and usefulness, will probably be better received and more candidly considered, than they would be, coming from the pen of some of your correspondents or of yourself. If the reader should deem the language or manner somewhat harsh or uncouth, he should recollect that Mr. Baxter wrote in the 17th century, when writers and readers were less fastidious, than at the present day. He will also see that some of the most eminently pious, then, as well as now, contended earnestly for christian liberty and for faith in the gospel, rather than in human formularies. "By the occasion of heretics, quarrels and errors, the serpent steps in, and will needs be a spirit of zeal in the church; and he will so overdo against heretics, that he persuades them, they must enlarge their creed, and add this clause against one, and that a gainst another, and all was but for the perfecting and preserving of the christian faith. And so he brings it to be a matter of so much wit to be a christian (as Erasmus complains,) that ordinary heads were not able to reach it. He had got them with a religious cruelty to their own and others' souls, to lay all their salvation, and the peace of the L. church, upon some unsearchable mysteries about the Trinity, which God either never revealed, or never clearly revealed, or never laid so great a stress upon; yet he persuades them, that there was scripture proof enough for these: only the scripture spoke it but in the premises, or in darker terms, and they must but gath er into their creeds the consequences, and put it into plainer expressions, which heretics might not so easily corrupt, pervert, or evade. Was not this reverend zeal? And was not the devil seemingly now a christian of the most judicious and forward sort? But what got he at this one game? 4. 1. He necessitated implicit faith even in fundamentals, when he had got points beyond a vulgar reach among fundamentals. 2. He necessitated some living judge fer the determining of fundamentals, &quo ad nos, though not in se, (the soul of popish wickedness,) that is, what it is in sense that the people must take for fundamentals. 3. He got a standing verdict against the perfection and sufficiency of scripture, (and consequently against Christ, his Spirit, his apostles, and the christian faith,) that it will not afford us so much as a creed or system of fundamentals, or points absolutely necessary to salvation and brotherly communion, in fit or tolerable phrases; but we must mend the language at least. He opened a gap for human additions, at which he might afterwards bring in more at his pleas ure. 5. He framed an engine for an infallible division, and to tear in pieces the church, casting out all as heretics that could not subscribe to his additions, and necessitating separation by all dissenters, to the world's end, till the devil's engine be overthrown. 6. And hereby he lays a ground upon the divisions of christians, to bring men into doubt of all religion, as not knowing which is the right. 7. And he lays the ground of certain heart-burnings and mutual hatred, contentions, revilings, and enmity. Is not here enough got at one cast? Doth there need any more to the establishing of the Romish and hellish darkness? Did not this one act found the seat of Rome? Did not the devil get more in his cloke in one day, than he could get by his sword in three hundred years?-Yea, and where modesty restrains men from putting all such inventions and explications in their creed, the devil persuaded men, that they being the judg ments of godly and reverend di vines (no doubt to be reverenced, valued, and heard,) it is almost as much as if it were in the creed, and therefore whoever dissenteth, must be noted with a black coal, and you must disgrace him, and avoid communion with him, as an heretic.-Had it not been for this one plot, the christian faith had been kept pure; religion had been one, the church had been one, and the hearts of christians had been more one than they are. Had not the devil turned orthodox, he had not made so many true christians heretics, as Epiphanius and Austin have enrolled in the black list. Had not the enemy of truth and peace got into the chair, and made so pathetic an oration as to inflame the minds of the lovers of truth to be over zealous for it, and to do too much, we might have had truth and peace to this day. Yea still, if he see any man of experience and moderation stand up to reduce men to the ancient simplicity, he presently seems the most zealous for Christ, and tells the unexperienced leaders of the flocks, that it is in favor of some heresy that such a man speaks; he is plotting a carnal syncretism, and attempting the reconcilement of Christ and Belial; he is tainted with pope. ry, or Socinianism, or Arminianism, or Calvinism, or whatsoever may make him odious with those he speaks to. O what the devil hath got by overdoing!" THE BIBLE. (Continued from page 278.) ABOUT three years elapsed before the translators commenced the work, during which interval seven of the fifty four persons, nominated by the king, are supposed to have died, as Fuller's list of the translators contains only forty seven. The names of the persons, the places where they met, and the portions of seripture assigned to each company, are as follow: Westminster 19. Dr. Andrews, fellow and master of Pembroke hall in Cambridge, then dean of Westminster, afterwards bishop of Winchester; Dr. Overall, fellow of Trinity college, master of Katherine hall in Cambridge, then dean of St. Paul's, afterwards bishop of Norwich; Dr. Saravia; Dr. Clarke, fellow of Christ college in Cambridge, preacher in Canterbury; Dr. Laifield, fellow of Trinity in Cambridge, parson of St. Clement-Danes. Being skilled in architecture, his judgment was much relied on for the fabric of the tabernacle and temple. Dr. Leigh, arch-deacon of Middlesex, parson of AllhallowsBarking; Master Burgley, Mr. King, Mr. Thomson; Mr. Bedwell of Cambridge, vicar of Tottenham, near London. The Pentateuch; the history from Joshua to the first book of the Chronicles, exclusively. Cambridge 8. Master Lively, Mr. Richardson, fellow of Emanuel, afterwards D. D. master first of Peter house, then of Trinity college; Mr. Chadderton, after wards D. D. fellow first of Christ college, then master of Emanuel; Mr. Dillingham, fellow of Christ college, beneficed at in Bedfordshire, where he died; Mr. Andrews, afterwards D.D. brother to the bishop of Winchester, and master of Jesus college; Mr. Harrison, the Reverend vice master of Trinity college; Mr. Spaulding, fellow of St. John's in Cambridge, and Hebrew professor therein; Mr. Bing, fellow of Peter-house in Cambridge, and Hebrew professor therein. From the first of the Chronicles, with the rest of the history and the Hagiographa, viz. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Canticles, Ecclesiastes. Oxford Dr. Harding, president of Magdalen college; Dr. Reynolds, president of Corpus Christi College; Dr. Holland, rector of Exeter college, and king's professor; Dr. Kilby, rector of Lincoln college, and regius professor; Master Smith, afterwards D. D. and bishop of Gloucester. He made the learned and religious preface to the translation. Mr. Brett, beneficed at Quaintan in Buckinghamshire; Mr. Fairclowe. The four great Prophets, with the Lamentations, and the twelve lesser Prophets. Cambridge 7. Dr. Duport, prebendary of Ely, and master of Jesus college; Dr. Brainthwait, first fellow of Emanuel, then master of Gonvil and Caius college; Dr. Radclyffe, one of the senior fellows of Trinity college; Master Ward, of Emanuel college, afterwards D. D. master of Sidney college, and Margaret professor; Mr. Downes, fellow |