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denied the futility of its supposed incompetency having, it is presumed, been fully ascertained. I have directed my observations more inmediately to this point of the objection, the nature and capacity of testimony, because it is the point which appears to me to be the principal one, and in most of the answers given, to have been the least attended to.

A BELIEVER IN MIRACLES.

Genealogy of Jesus and Joseph.

Gosport, Jan. 2, 1817.

KING JAMES'S translators En

glish this verse thus:

"And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli."

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The Improved Version, for "as was supposed," reads, as was allowed by law."

It is not the present writer's design to enter into the dispute concerning the disagreements between the genealogy of Matthew and that of Luke; neither is it of very material importance to his argument whether we read "supposed" allowed by law to be the son of Joseph," he being well persuaded that those words in the parenthesis were ot intended by the Evangelist to describe Jesus, but his father Joseph, and that the passage originally stood :

or

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"And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being the son of Joseph, who was supposed to be (or allowed by law to be) the son of Heli."

From Dr. Priestley's Harmony of -the Gospels (Sect. II. Notes), I find that "according to Eusebius, it was a tradition in the family of Joseph, that he was properly the legal son of Heli, who, dying without children, his brother Jacob married his wife, and having a child by her, it was transferred to Heli."

The only use which Dr. P. makes of the citation, is to account for the difference in the genealogies-Matthew stating that Jacob begat Joseph, and Luke that "Joseph" was "the son of Heli."

Whether at the time he published the Harmony, the Doctor believed the miraculous conception or not, is less apparent than might be wished in the notes to that work; and I have no other books at hand which will throw

light upon the subject. From the latter cause, too, I cannot discover whether my conjecture be new, but I have certainly never heard of it before. My reasons for believing it well-founded, are, that we have no ground to imagine that any doubts existed in the time of our Lord with regard to his being the son of Joseph by natural generation, and therefore no cause for the Evangelist's writing the words " as was supposed," after the name of Jesus; whereas there is a manifest propriety in their being appended to that of Joseph, who was not the son of trait by natural generation, but (if the tradition of Eusebius be correct, and I know not how, without admitting it, to reconcile the genealogies) by legal transfer only -Jacob having "raised up seed to his brother."

Could it be proved that by accident or design these words had been transposed by a copyist from their original situation (which, perhaps, may be done, or at least the presumption strengthened, by some of your ingenious and learned correspondents), the believers in the miraculous conception would have one argument the less in defence of their hypothesis.

I should be happy to see the discussion taken up. J. READ. Narrative of a celebrated Auto de Fé in the City of Logrono.

[Continued from Vol. XI. pp. 576

and 658.]

inquisitors state that the fol

THE lowing ceremonies take place on the installation of a witch:

The witch, who persuades any persons to become noviciates, first anoints them with a foetid, greenish liquid, and then takes them rapidly through the air to the Aquelarre, where they are received by the devil on his throne. They there renounce God, the virgin, all the saints and sacraments, and on their knees they kiss various parts of the devil's body, and acknowledge him for their God and Lord; after which his infernal majesty makes a wound in their flesh with his nail, and with a liquid like gold marks the apple of their eye, by which mark the witches recognize one another. Though the pain from the former operation is excessive, the place wounded soon becomes senseless, and the inquisitors

say that having discovered the places individuals, who had been hurried almost scratched by the devil, they drove pins to death by sundry apparitions, and whose into them till their heads were buried, accounts agreed with those of the witches. yet the witches felt or seemed to feel The name of Jesus, however, (the no pain. An imp is then selected for inquisitors say they ascertained) is sufeach noviciate, which is fostered and ficient to dissolve every charm of witchfed by the old witches, till it is thought craft; and they report many instances proper to entrust it to the care of the of the wonderful effects of the ejaculanewly installed. The whole assembly tion "Jesus!"-Scores of witches disthen dance amidst flames of fictitious persed in a moment-tempests calmed fire to the sound of timbrels, tamba-invisible spirits made manifest, and rines and flutes (the musicians of the many other miracles. Zugarramurdi Aquelarre were among the witnesses under our commission, and were reconciled in consequence of their disclosures), and the devil assures them these are the flames of hell, and encourages them to every sort of evil, promising them that hell-fire shall no more scorch them than this unreal blaze. At cock-crowing they all disperse, each accompanied by his familiar (or imp), and fly through the air to their individual homes.

On Aquelarre nights the noviciates are employed in guarding a flock of imps (in the form of toads), which furnish the witches with poisons and ointments for their various diabolical purposes, and become the agents of their misdeeds. These imps are endowed with the gift of speech, and are clad in fine cloth and velvet. Some of the witches confessed, that they had mirsed their imps with the greatest tenderness, had made them their constant companions, and these, in return, had watched over them both sleeping and waking, and been to them like guardian angels.

Juanes de Echalar (the minister of justice in our Aquelarre) declared, and his testimony was confirmed by many others, that if any witch absented herself from the assembly, or in any way infringed on the laws of witchcraft, he was accustomed to scourge the offender with thongs and thorns, till blood streamed from the wounds, when the devil himself applied ointment to the sores, and treated the sufferers with such extraordinary care and tenderness, that the marks were almost immediately Temoved.

The reconciled witches stated, that one of the amusements of the Aquelarre was to sally forth (in the shapes of different animals) to way-lay and frighten passengers, selecting those especially, who neglect to say grace before and after meat. This testimony was cortoborated by a host of evidence from

On the vespers of certain saints' days a solemn act of adoration to the devil is performed in the Aquelarre. The witches then make a confession of their virtues (instead of their sins), and are reprehended gravely on account of them. All the apparatus of mass is introduced in mockery (black, moreover, dirty and ugly), and the devil reads an address from his own missal, and afterwards gives a sermon on the advantages of atheism and immorality. All the company then prostrate themselves at his feet, each presenting some offering, which is received by evil spirits who are in attendance, and who always take part in the more important ceremonies. The administration of the sacrament is next turned into ridicule, by a burlesque, in which a piece of shoe-leather represents the consecrated wafer; and when these services are over, they proceed to every species of infamous crime.

Miguel de Goyburu (oldest wizard and king of the Aquelarre) testified (and he was borne out by other evidence), that the senior witches greatly enjoy visiting church-yards, disinterring the dead, and stealing their brains, cartilages, and other parts of the body. To light them while thus employed, they use a torch made of the arm of an unbaptized child, the fingers being kindled, and this torch (they continue) has the singular property of illuminating the witches, while it remains invisible to all other human beings. The collected spoils are presented to the devil, who devours them greedily, encouraging the witches to do the same.

In the autumnal season, the most privileged of the witches receive the visits of the devil and his imps, who accompany them to fields and dark caves, where they instruct them how to prepare poisonous ointments, from various venemous animals, which they amalgamate with human brains and bones. With these poisons they be

22 Extract from Alexander's Sermon on the Universal Progress of the Gospel.

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witch and destroy their enemies, carry pestilence into their flocks, and blight their fruits. More than twenty murders, damages, and acts of vengeance," were proved against one poor wretch who suffered under our commission. Evidence was also given of the deaths of many children who had been the victims of witchcraft: the blood of some had been sucked; others had been hanged; others had been scourged with brambles to death; and many had been destroyed by the poisonous pills. After many details of this character, the inquisitors break off and say, "The number of these murders is so great, that it is impossible to go into the particulars of all."

In the course of their inquiries, the inquisitors obtained information of an Aquelarre of more than five hundred witches; but it seems they were unsuccessful in their attempt to convict

them.

What precedes is a very imperfect and abbreviated account of the discoveries and proceedings of the Logrono inquisitors. Many disgusting details are omitted, but enough are given to show the gross barbarism and credulity of a tribunal which professed to justify the character of God, and to purify religion from all its errors.

The establishment of the inquisition in Spain seems to have been the prelude to the gradual decline of that "renowned, romantic land." The most enlightened writers, (and es pecially Hernando de Pulgar) opposed the introduction of this merciless tribunal with energy and eloquence. More than twenty thousand persons were marked out for its prey, immediately after its establishment; of whom two thousand were burnt, and about the same number, condemned to death, fled to the mountains, and escaped, as they were able, from their country.

In 1492, the barbarous decree was issued, which drove nearly half a million of Jews from the Peninsula, who took with them immense treasures, and whose removal almost crushed the rising spirit of literature in Spain, for among them were some of the ablest philosophers and most intelligent critics.

And their talents descended to their children. Spinoza, Monteira (whose shrewd objections against Christianity were

In 1559, the inquisitor general published the first list of prohibited books. Among these the New Testament is mentioned; the prohibition of which Such is the was repeated in 1583. growth of superstition, when ministered to by ignorance and sheltered by power, that soon after this period a noted Jesuit (Martin del Rio) wrote to prove (aye, and quotes authorities too) that Luther was the carnal son of the devil, who in the form of a goat seduced his mother-and that all heretics are magicians, calmly recommending that they may be brought to the torture, which he would supposes make them confess the fact.

It would be an useful, it might even be an interesting object, to trace the influence of ecclesiastical tyranny on the literature, the civil rights, the happiness of a nation, which has gradually sunk from the summit of political influence, and power and pride, into a state of moral, mental, and political degradation.

SIR,

B.

Bath, Dec. 6, 1816. BEG leave to transmit to you an extract from a sermon preached at Lurgan, in Ireland, before a body of Dissenting ministers, by Andrew Alexander, of Urney. The subject was the universal progress of the gospel-the text Isaiah xi. 9.

After the author had illustrated the doctrine, he then proceeds to consider the causes which prevent its immediate accomplishment; and, first he considers the prejudices of education. He says, it is very natural to think, that whatever opinions get first hold of the mind, will take the deepest root; they grow up with its growth, and strengthen with its strength. They are generally received from parents or masters, whom young persons are inclinable to treat with great deference and respect; and it may be they are patronized by great names, for some particular accomplishments highly reputable. These circumstances are all apt to conspire in rendering the bulk of mankind extremely tenacious of such sentiments, and very unwilling to admit

answered by our Anthony Collins), Castro, Pinedo, and other famous Hebraists, were descendants of the Portugueze and Spanish expatriated Jews.

any thing that opposes or condemns provements; to guard against every them. By this means they are con- bias, that may give them advice for verted into prejudices, those pernicious or pleasure in one side of the question weeds of the mind, that choak every more than another, and to keep the fair plant of reason and truth; and as mind like a just balance, ever ready religious prejudices are of all others to be weighed down by the appearance the most inveterate and incurable, of truth, and to allow the clearest men are disposed to regard religious and strongest evidence from time to matters as in themselves so sacred, time to preponderate, as any addition that, whenever attempts are made to may be made to either side. In proremove any mistake that bears this portion as this temper prevails, we hallowed stamp, they instantly take shall be ready to hear and to receive the alarm, as if their dearest and most instruction, to examine, alter, or lay valuable interests were in danger of aside our opinions, and allow due being torn from them. They cannot force to every thing that can be propatiently hear any of their religious posed; and thus shall we, as the tenets treated as erroneous, much less happy consequence of enjoying the calmly attend to or consider maturely gospel, be filled with wisdom and and impartially what may be advanced spiritual understanding, become fruitagainst them. This was remarkably ful in every work, and daily increase the case when Christianity was at first in the knowledge of God, and of our published, though attended with the Lord Jesus Christ. most striking proofs of a Divine Power interposing in its favour. By the strength of prepossession, it became to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. Nay, where the gospel has been long received and professed, there have been and still may be prejudices early imbibed, very unfavourable to that improvement in the knowledge of God and religion, which we have reason to hope for, from the improvement of the capacities of human nature, from the advancing state of society, and from the spirit of wisdom speaking in the mouths of all the prophets. It is generally allowed that the power of prejudice is very conspicuous in the professed members of the Roman church, and that it has been in all ages the grand obstruction to a more thorough and perfect reformation. But, if we examine how matters stand among the reformed, it will be found that each of the parties into which they are unhappily divided, hath (in) its own prepossessions, more or less unfriendly to that growth in grace, and in the knowledge of their common Lord, to promote which is the great design of the gospel. As no sect of Protestants will have the confidence to pretend, that all its partisans are either infallible or impeccable, Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile, it is surely incumbent on all carefully to examine the system of their religious belief, that they may discover whatever it contains that may disqualify them for higher im

The author goes on, 2dly, to shew, the obstruction to the increase of religious knowledge, arising from impurity of heart and life, the prevalence of those sinful lusts that war against the soul; 3dly, to the growth of religious knowledge, from the injudicious and unfair representations that have been frequently made of religion and especially of Christianity; and, lastly, the exercise of that power claimed by Christians of almost every class, of prescribing in the most sacred matters to all within the reach of their influence, and of reducing them to an uniformity of sentiments with their respective leaders, whether civil or ecclesiastical. I have not room to introduce either of these articles, though they are well worthy of our notice.

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W. H.

Thoughts on Missionary Societies.

Νου. 25, 1816. ESUS CHRIST is the pro

Jpitation for our sins, and prot

for ours only, but also, for those, 028 78 xoope, of the whole world." 1 John ii. 2. That is, the benefits arising from the life and death of Christ, to those who are duly disposed and qualified to receive them (however we may differ as to their mode of operation in the gospel scheme), are not confined to those places where he is preached, but extend to all the generations of Adam, past, present, and to come. Richard Baxter, in his treatise on "Universal Redemption,"

hath employed fifty seven propositions, and sixty explanatory theses, in illustration of this glorious and important truth, which St. John hath clearly and emphatically expressed in three sentences! It hath been said of this eminent divine, that he was "unhappily subtle and metaphysical in every thing." The term subtle, in a bad sense, is ill applied to Mr. Baxter, but he is certainly liable sometimes to the charge of metaphysical obscurity, which, as must ever be the case, renders his works far less useful than otherwise they would be.

But, not to digress, it is to be observed, that although the text above cited, with many others, fully establish this important principle, and thereby decisively prove the acceptableness of natural religion, where no other is to be obtained; yet, it by no means follows that our best endeavours should not be exerted, to promote the knowledge and influence of Christianity, where it is at present unknown. On the contrary, possessing as we do, in the enjoyment of this Divine gift, immense privileges and advantages, we should be solicitous, as far as we are able, to communicate these blessings to the comparatively benighted corners of the habitable globe, and to labour as well as pray, in the use of reasonable, probable, and allowed means, (as to the nature and application of which we must be supposed to differ), "That the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, may shine into them."

With this view, much expense and labour have recently been employed in this country, by different denominations, in the institution of Missionary Societies, for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts, into the degrees of the success failure of which we do not now inquire. We may conceive, however, of various methods which ministers of different religious sentiments might naturally be led to adopt in the prosecution of this important object.

or

Let us suppose a zealous Calvinist, engaged in this arduous undertaking. He will probably begin his work with the history of the fall; the supposed consequent inherent depravity of human nature; the utter incapacity of man, in his natural state, to do a

good action, or even to think a good thought. He would then proceed to the doctrines of irresistible grace; a triune Deity; the necessity of infinite merit to atone for infinite guilt, which he imputes to a frail, finite and fallible creature, because committed against an infinite Being; and the assertion, that if they die without the Christian faith, even when it has been but briefly proposed to them, and they have had little time to examine its evidences, they will be infallibly condemned to all eternity. If they should express astonishment at some of these positions, as "things hard to be understood!" and are dreadfully alarmed at the ides of infinite and everlasting vengeance, he will presently soothe their fears, by informing them, that though their case is at present desperate, it is so far from being hopeless, or without remedy, that it may be changed for the better in an instant; that they have only to accept of Christ, by a strong and lively faith, and the work is done: That he hath wrought out a free and full salvation for all his elect, of which number, each indi vidual to whom he is preached, may hope to be one, seeing we cannot search the book of God's decrees; and who can never finally fall from his grace, for whom he loves, loves to the end:" That it is true, this faith should operate to the mending their manners, and reforming their wicked lives, and that this it will infallibly accomplish; but that at the same time, they must always be exceedingly careful not to pay any undue regard to the good works which they may perform, which, being imperfect, can neither be the cause, matter, nor condition of our justification, and which, in any wise confided in, will ultimately deprive them of all the privileges and bless ings of gospel grace. He will guard them against Satanic influence, the author of which, he will describe as a kind of demi-god, possessed of a species of omnipresence, having access to the minds of men in all times, places and circumstances, and tempting them to kinds and degrees of sin, far beyond the extent and discovery of their own natural powers and corrup tions. The writer believes, that he does not misrepresent a species of preaching, to be met with in no

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