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 not intended by the Evangelist to describe Jesus, but his father Joseph, and that the passage originally stood :

or

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 Heli 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.

"And Jesus himself began to be Narrative of a celebrated Auto de Fé in

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 inarried 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

the City of Logrono.

[Continued from Vol. XI. pp. 576 and 658.]

THE inquisitors state

that the fol

lowing ceremonies take place on

the installation of a witch:

The witch, who persuades any persons to become noviciates, first anoints them with a fœtid, greenish liquid, and then takes them rapidly through the air to the Aquelarr 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 eve, 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 scratched by the devil, they drove pins into them till their heads were buried, yet the witches felt or seemed to feel no pain. An imp is then selected for each noviciate, which is fostered and fed by the old witches, till it is thought proper to entrust it to the care of the newly installed. The whole assembly then dance amidst flames of fictitious fire to the sound of timbrels, tambarines and flutes (the musicians of the 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 inore 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 forin 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 nursed 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 removed.

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 afier meat. This testimony was corroborated by a host of evidence from

individuals, who had been hurried almost to death by sundry apparitions, and whose accounts agreed with those of the witches.

The name of Jesus, however, (the inquisitors say they ascertained) is sufficient to dissolve every charm of witchcraft; and they report many instances of the wonderful effects of the ejacula tion "Jesus!"-Scores of witches dispersed in a moment-tempests calmed -invisible spirits made manifest, and many other miracles.

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, whodevours 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 be22 Extract from Alexander's Sermon on the Universal Progress of the Gospel.

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 lity 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 especially 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; 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.

of

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 was repeated in 1583. Such is the 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 supposes would 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.

I

SIR,

B.

Bath, Dec. 6, 1816. BEG leave to transmit to you an extract from a sermon preached at body of

Lurgan, in Ireland, before a 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 converted into prejudices, those pernicious weeds of the mind, that choak every fair plant of reason and truth; and as religious prejudices are of all others the most inveterate and incurable, men are disposed to regard religious matters as in themselves so sacred, that, whenever attempts are made to remove any mistake that bears this hallowed stamp, they instantly take the alarm, as if their dearest and most valuable interests were in danger of being torn from them. They cannot patiently hear any of their religious tenets treated as erroneous, much less calmly attend to or consider maturely and impartially what may be advanced against them. This was remarkably the case when Christianity was at first published, though attended with the 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 foolishne 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

bias, that may give them advice for or pleasure in one side of the question more than another, and to keep the mind like a just balance, ever ready to be weighed down by the appearance of truth, and to allow the clearest and strongest evidence from time to time to preponderate, as any addition may be made to either side. In proportion as this temper prevails, we shall be ready to hear and to receive instruction, to examine, alter, or lay aside our opinions, and allow due force to every thing that can be proposed; and thus shall we, as the happy consequence of enjoying the gospel, be filled with wisdom and spiritual understanding, become fruitful in every work, and daily increase in the knowledge of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 resp respective leaders, whether civil or ecclesiastical. I have not room to introduce either of these articles, though they are well worthy of our notice.

W. H.

Thoughts on Missionary Societies. - Νου. 25, 1816. ESUS CHRIST is the J propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also, for those, όλο το κοσμε, 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 thein (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,"