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A country-parifh, fituate in the north-weft part of Cumberland, has of late, been much infefted with the Spirit of enthusiasm. The beginning of the mischief was as follows. One of those zealous advocates for the caufe of fchifm contrived to gain the good graces of a whole family. The master of the house, a man of no great integrity, was glad to hear the fweet founding doctrine of faith without works ftrenuously defended: and the reft of the family, as might be naturally expected, foon followed the example fet them by their mafter. The new teacher experienced a very courteous reception. He had all the refpect, he could with for, paid him. He met with good entertainment free of all expence: and his harangues were not without their defired effect upon his little audience. But this was not enough. They muft co-operate with him in the glorious work of bringing back the loft sheep of the house of Ifrael to the knowledge of true religion. Accordingly, the pious intention of holding a conventicle was induftrioufly published through the whole neighbourhood. The first meeting was fo well attended, particularly by females, that the preacher (as he was called) gave notice for a fecond. In a little time, meetings were held very frequently; and extraordinary ones were called, when any person was to undergo inftantaneous conversion, and become one of the elect. Sins were publicly confeffed; and formal abfolution followed: and, thus, were fecrets disclosed that must for ever embitter the domeftic happiness of families.

The disturbed imaginations of the deluded devotees were faid ever to have been haunted by visions. The preacher had now got fome coad▾ jutors: one of whom, in particular, was observed never to return home from the meetings, without having his horfe pretty-well laden with provifions of various forts, which the 66 filly women," that were "led captive," had given him as a reward for his labours. This fellow was no other than a fadler in a neighbouring town: but it is probable he found fuch excurfions more lucrative than his own profeffion, as his vifits grew very frequent.

"But the measure of their wickedness was not yet full." A poor woman, whofe husband was an honeft labouring mechanic, was fo infatuated as to neglect her domestic duties, as a wife and a mother of a family; for, then, the was "Inftant in feafon, and out of feafon." But, whether her faith was found very defective, or her liberality was not fo extenfive as might be wished, it was her peculiar hard lot to have the anathema of inevitable and eternal damnation pronounced upon her, and fo effectually did thefe mifcreants imprefs this belief upon her mind, that at length a deep melancholy feized upon her spirits. Medical affiftance was called in to her aid, but, in vain, "Gorgons, and hydras, and chimæras dire," were inceffantly hovering in her fight. And at length, fhocking to relate, fhe funk under the infupportable weight of woe, and died-leaving a husband and three children to deplore her tragical end, and execrate the cause of it.

I will not trouble you with any further obfervations. The train of reflections, excited by the above mentioned event, must be the fame in every honest and unprejudiced breast.

I am, Gentlemen, your conftant Reader,

Oxford, Jan. 4th, 1802.

ECCLESIAPHILOS.

Το

OMISSION OF PRAYER BEFORE SERMON.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN,

HAVE obferved, with no fmall concern, that fome clergymen, instead of abiding by the good old practice of a regular prayer before fermon, adopt the following ejaculation of the Pfalmift: "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy fight, O Lord, my ftrength, and my Reedeemer ;" and then they conclude immediately with the Lord's Prayer. This innovation ought not to pafs without cenfure, for it is more mifchievous than many are apt to imagine. These words were a pious breathing of the devout Pfalmift when alone, under the canopy of heaven, in the fields of Bethlehem; and, however, admirably fuited to the private ufe of the Chriftian, efpecially of a Chriftian minifter, are not proper to be offered up as a public prayer, in the prefence, and on the behalf of all the people. Thofe clergymen who adopt the ejaculation muft think that the prayer before fermon is for their ufe alone; but in this they are mistaken. The congregation ought to have an equal intereft in the prayer offered up in the pulpit, with the preacher. It is his place, therefore, to pray that the Almighty would give "the hearing ear, and the understanding heart," as well as the "acceptable words of truth and perfuafion."

The Church of England has fome excellent collects, moft admirably adapted to the Chriftian preacher's ufe, amongst which none is more folemn and appropriate, than the one beginning "Bleffed Lord, who hast caufed all Holy Scriptures, &c."

I do not, indeed, fee why the preacher fhould be tied to the ufe of any precife prayer in this cafe, when the church has left him completely free; but yet, on the other hand, he ought to adopt a "form of found words." The ejaculatory petition which I have mentioned, is by no means fuch a form, for it is abfolutely a private folitary prayer for an individual, and not for a congregation.

I cannot help fufpecting that there is fomewhat of affectation in this practice, and affectation in the fervice of the fanctuary is moft difgufting to every fenfible and pious mind.

Should thefe obfervations meet the eye of any Chriftian minifter who has been allured into this innovation, I befeech him seriously and affectionately to confider the matter well; and, I cannot help thinking that the refult of his thoughts will be a determination to adopt, in future, prayer and not ejaculation, before his fermons.

The practice of enthufiafts, of making very long and vehement harangues in the pulpit, under the denomination of prayers, feems to have led others into the very oppofite mode. But, though we be careful to fhun their errors, this thould not prevail upon us to quit the good old eftablished rule of the church. Prayer is a very folemn, and a very important duty, and when a minifter is about to deliver the great truths of the Gospel to the people, he ought to fupplicate in an earneft and impreffive manner, the influence of the Holy Spirit, that the word fpoken may fall " as good feed into prepared ground," and be productive of the fruits of righteoufnefs. I am, Gentlemen, your conftant Reader,

London, Jan. 5, 1802.

ΙΟΤΑ,

ON

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING A DIARY.

By the late Rev. Sir JAMES STACKHOUSE, Bart. M. D.

IT has not been long fince, that the generality (especially men of learning and piety) kept DIARIES; a cuftom, which is now, perhaps, too much neglected.

Query. Would not a renewal of this laudable practice be manifeftly ufeful to perfons of all ranks, and of all ages? If every one, who has leifure and capacity, was to keep a DIARY (or daily account) how he employs his time, he would be enabled to make a better progrefs in his temporal as well as in his fpiritual concerns.-Would it not be a faithful director in both of these?

As to those who, from a multiplicity of bufinefs, cannot keep a DIARY in fo full a manner as they would with; yet might they not occafionally make and commit to writing, a few obfervations on the ftate of their minds, and their progress or decline in religion, as well as in their worldly affairs? The oftener, therefore, fuch obfervations were made and reviewed, would not the advantages from the infpection of fuch interefting particulars be more evident in their condu&t? And would not fome of the leading transactions, both in their worldly and religious concerns, being thus impressed on their memories, influence them more powerfully to live a godly, righteous, and fober life?

Reader, think well of this: not only how you are to live, but how you are die.-Men, alas! make provifion for this life, as though it were never to have an end; and for the other life, as though it were never to have a beginning. They feldom beftow a ferious thought on death.

POLYGLOT BIBLES.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN,

THE following account of Polyglot Bibles, and the time of their publication, with a particular mention of Dr. Brian Walton's Polyglot, and the affiftance that he received, as well as the fources of his information, will, I truft, be acceptable to the learned readers of your excellent mifcellany.

I am, Gentlemen, your obedient fervant,

Δ.

THE firft Polyglot, known by the name of the Complutenfan, was undertaken by Francis de Ximenes, cardinal and archbishop of Toledo; and printed at his own charge. The compilers were the divines of his univerfity of Complutum, or Alcala, which he had newly founded. It was printed in the year 1514, &c. in fix tomes, folio. It contains the Hebrew text, with the Latin vulgate; the Greek Septuagint, with a tranflation; Onkelos's Chaldee paraphrafe on the Pentateuch, with a Latin tranflation; the New Teftament in Greek, without accents, but with a Latin tranflation. 2. The Antwerp Polyglot, was printed at Antwerp in 1571, in 8 tomes, fol. and it being at the expence of Philip II. King of Spain, it is upon that account ftiled the Royal Polyglot. It contains the following articles: the Hebrew text, with St. Jerome's verfion; and these improvements above the former, the Chaldee paraphrafe, entire; the paraphrafe of Jonathan on the prophets; and of Jofeph Cæcus, or others, on the Hagiographa. In the New Teftament the ancient Syriac verfion, both in

Syrian

Syrian and Hebrew characters, with a Latin verfion. An apparatus, in 3 tomes. It is a very beautiful edition, by fome ftiled orbis miraculum, the wonder of the world. The editor was Arias Montanus, a learned and moderate perfon. Though his work was approved of by the Pope himself, to whom it was prefented; and though he did nothing without the advice of the univerfity of Lovaine, and of feveral other learned men; yet all could not protect the publither from the jealoufies and calumnies of malignant fpirits of his own brethren, against whom he was fain to write apologies, and hardly efcaped the inquifition. The third Polyglot was the Paris Polyglot, or rather Heptaglot, as being in feven languages, printed in 1645, in ten volumes, fol. on royal paper, at the expence of Michael le Jay. This is the fame as the laft, except the interlinear verfion and apparatus; but there were added in it, the Samaritan Pentateuch, in the ancient Hebrew character, used, as is fuppofed, by the Jews before the Babylonifh captivity; with a Samaritan and Latin verfion; a Syriac translation; and an Arabic translation, both of the Old and New Testament. The editors were Gabriel Sionita, John Merin, and Abraham Echellenfis. This was a fplendid edition, but imperfect in fome refpects, as wanting an apparatus, plates, various readings, indexes, &c. It was feverely criticized upon by Simon de Muis, Regius Profeffor of the Hebrew tongue at Paris. To thefe Polyglots we may add that of Elias Hutter, published at Hamburgh, in 1597, in four languages, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and German; to which he afterwards added the Italian, Sclavonian, and Saxon. His New Teftament was printed in the year 1600, in twelve languages, viz. Syriac, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German, Bohemian, Italian, Spanish, French, English, Danish, and Polish. But in the edition of 1603, he reduced it to these four, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and German. We come now to the English Polyglot, published by Dr. Brian Walton, 1657, in fix volumes, folio. A moft incomparable edition of the Bible. What this valuable edition contains, will beft appear from the title page, which is in thefe words, "Biblia Sacra Polyglotta, complectentia Textus Originales, Hebraicum cum Pentateucho Samaritano, Chaldaicum, Græcum; Verfionumque antiquarum, Samaritanæ, Græcæ LXXII Interp. Chaldaica, Syriaca, Arabica, Ethiopica, Perficæ, Vulg. Lat. quicquid comparari poterat. Cum Textuum et Verfionum Orientalium Tranflationibus Latinis. Ex vetuftiffimis MSS. undique conquifitis, optimifque Exemplaribus impreffis, fumma fide collatis. Quæ in prioribus Editionibus deerunt fuppleta. Multa antehac inedita de novo adjecta. Omnia ea ordine difpofita, ut Textus cum Verfionibus uno intuitu conferri poffunt."

The fhare Dr. Walton had in this work was as follows. 1. He difpofed the whole into that excellent order in which it is placed. II. He prefixed to it an apparatus, in Latin, containing-1. Chronologia Sacra, or the Sacred Chronology, from the creation of the world to the birth of Chrift, and thence to the Jewish captivity; fent him by Lewis Capell, Hebrew Profeffor in the univerfity of Saumur. 2. Edw. Brerewood, of the weight and value of ancient coins. 3. Dr. Walton's Supplement, concerning the form and infcriptions of the Sicles, or Shekels, with an explanation of them. 4. A treatife of the ancient weights, money, and measures of the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans, collected from several authors. 5. An explication of the Hebrew and Greek idioms, occurring often in the Scriptures. 6. A defcription of the Holy Land, from Adrichomius. 7. The notes of James Bonfrere on the fame. 8. Dr. John Lightfoot's obfervations on the maps of the Holy Land. 9. Totayov,

or

1. Of the

2.

or a threefold description of the Temple of Jerufalem: the firft, from the Scriptures, according to Villalpandus; the fecond, from Jofephus; and the third, from the Jews in their Talmud, according to the defcription and measures there given drawn up by Lewis Cappell. III. Then follow Dr. Walton's learned Polegomena, under thefe fixteen heads. nature, origin, divifion, number, changes, and ufe of languages. Of letters or characters, their wonderful ufe, origin, and firft invention, and their diverfity in the chief languages. 3. Of the Hebrew tongue, its antiquity, prefervation, change, excellency, and ufe, ancient characters, vowel-points, and accents. 4. Of the principal editions of the Bible. 5. Of the tranflations of the Bible. 6. Of the various readings of the Holy Scripture. 7. Of the integrity and authority of the original texts. 8. Of the Mafora, Keri, Ketib, various readings of the eaftern and weftern Jews, Ben Afchan, and Ben Nepthali; and of the Cabala. 9. Of the Septuagint, and other Greek tranflations. 10. Of the Latin Vulgate. 11. Of the Samaritan Pentateuch, and the verfion of the fame. the Chaldee language, and verfions. 13. Of the Syriac tongue, and verfions. 14. Of the Arabic language, and verfions. 15. Of the Ethiopic tongue, and verfions. 16. And of the Perfian language,. and verfions.

12. Of

The advifers and directors of this great work, jointly with Dr. Walton, were, Dr. James Uther, archbishop of Armagh, Dr. W. Fuller, Dr. G. Sheldon, Dr. B. Ryves, Dr. R. Sanderson, Dr. R. Sterne, Dr. S. Baker, Dr. H. Hammond, Dr. R. Drake, Dr. H. Fearne, Mr. H. Thorndike, Mr. R. Johnfon, Abraham Wheeloc, Arabic Profeffor at Cambridge, Edward Pococke, Hebrew and Arabic Professor at Oxford, Thomas Greaves, formerly Arabic Profeffor at Oxford, and Thomas Smith, B. D. fellow of Chrift's College, Cambridge, Meric Cafaubon, &c.

Those who collected MSS. and corrected the prefs were, Edmund Caftell, or Castle, B. D. a man in whom were united the most confummate learning, and the greatest modefty, "virum in quo eruditio fumma, magnaque animi modeftia convenere," as Dr. Walton acknowledges in his preface. He was at the pains of carefully revifing the Samaritan, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic; tranflated from the latter into Latin, the Pfalms and Canticles, where they differ from the version of the LXX. and the Syriac version of Job, where it differs from the Arabic, with annotations, And tranflated fome of the books of the New Teftament from the Ethiopic. This learned man alfo compiled, afterwards, that laborious work of the Lexicon, in feven languages, 2 vol. fol. for the better understanding of the Polyglot Bible, and commonly fold with it. After all, he was but flenderly rewarded for his pains; having, at firft, but the poor vicarage of HatfieldPeverell, then Wodenham-Walton rectory, in Effex: in 1666 he was made Regius Profeffor of Arabic in Cambridge; fome time after, rector of Higham Gobyon, in Bedfordshire; and in 1685, a few months before his decease, prebendary of Canterbury. He was born at Hatley, in Cambridgeshire; educated at Emmanuel College, where he was admitted in 1621; and buried at Higham Gobyon. The other afliftants were Alexander Huish, of Wadham College, B. D. who took fome pains about the Septuagint, the Greek text of the New Teftament, and the Latin Vulgate : and collated the Alexandrian MS. with the other editions. Samuel Clark, M. A. of Merton College, architypographus of the university of Oxford, bestowed fome labour upon the Hebrew text, the Chaldee paraphrase, and the Perfian verfion of the Gospels, part of which he rendered into Latin. Thomas Hyde, a young man of great hopes, who had made a progress in Vol. II. Churchm. Mag. Jan. 1802.

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