bted that
his education, his tastes, his connexions, and even his prejudices, were
all on the side of that conviction which he professes to have derived
from patient and persevering research, it seems not unreasonable to
require a copiousness and strength of argument, in its support, which,
were all the circumstances affecting his relation to it decidedly
unfavourable, would, perhaps, scarcely be deemed necessary.

When, however, we witness the comparatively rare occurrence of an
individual, surrounded with almost every description of temptation
to stifle conviction, and, by his silence at least, to perpetuate a
corruption in the Christian church, which for ages has been protected
by legislative authority, popular favour, and implicit faith, not only
nobly triumphing over every inducement to compromise the interests of
truth by refusing to surrender himself to its acknowledged claims, but
venturing forth, and assailing error in its most splendid fastness, and
pursuing it to its final retreat; and that to, by the employment of
arguments whose overwhelming force is partly derived from the peculiar
suavity with which they are urged, we are unable to resist such an
occasion for exclaiming, "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous
in our eyes."

The publications which have occasioned these reflections, whose titles
are placed at the head of this article, appear to us to present more
than ordinary claims to public consideration. The perspicuity of their
style, the force of their arguments, and especially the thoroughly
Christian temper which pervades them throughout, cannot fail, if they be
read, to secure commendation, even where they fail to convince. We can
easily suppose it possible to find persons who may affect to despise
what is thus, with every circumstance adapted to excite respect, urged
upon their attention; but that any well-constituted mind, whatever be
its ultimate conclusion on the subject, can treat these pamphlets with
indifference, as though that to which they relate were unimportant, or
that they were defective in truth and candour, is what we are extremely
unwilling to believe. At the same time, we most frankly acknowledge
that, owing to certain inconveniences, and, perhaps, even consequences,
which we conceive might arise, in some instances at least, from a
thorough and an impartial investigation of the evidence adduced by these
respective and respectable writers in support of their principles, we