Mr. Talfourd. Such evidence would not have been received in the courts above; indeed, lately at Nisi Prius the Lord Chief Justice had explicitly refused to accept it. It was relative to a bill of exchange, but he (Mr. T.) had forgotten the name of the cause. There was no license proved; the only reference of proof should be to the Sessions' Court. Places of worship now are no longer licensed, they are "registered." This indictment goes for an express object-a penalty of £40 for disturbing a congregation, which it must be proved was composed of more than 20 person. (53 Geo. III.)

Mr. Shepherd contended that the house was duly licensed and authorized, even under that act.

The Chairman thought it was a place of "public worship." Mr. Tabram proved that the congregation, when he preached, had exceeded 20 frequently.

Mr. Talfourd. Your gospel may be very good, but we can dispense with your law.

Mr. Monck, M. P. They must prove they have done every thing the act requires, but they have not done so; there is no registering with the records of the Clerk of Sessions proved.

Mr. Shepherd contended he was not called on to produce the record of the Quarter Sessions. It had nothing to do with the validity of the assembly, after the certificate was received from the Bishop. It was merely directory, not imperative. In the part of the Act of Parliament as to the certificate, there was a point, a semicolon.

Mr. Tulfourd. But there are no stops in Acts of Parliament. Mr. Shepherd thought, that if the Court decided against him in the present case, it would be throwing all licensed places of worship out of the pale of the law's protection.

Mr. Talfourd. The certificate is not even proved to be an examined copy.

The Court decided that the meeting was not legally authorized;" the provisions of the act not being complied with.

The Chairman told the Jury that this was a bad indictment; that the prosecutors were not in a situation to indict under the act; and that the prisoners must be acquitted.

The defendants were acquitted accordingly.

Lord Folkstone severely censured the conduct of the defendants; it was highly disgraceful to them. He hoped their present escape would operate as a warning on their future conduct.World, October 24, 1827.

CORPORATION AND TEST ACTS.

THE "United Committee," now enlarged and strengthened by the accession of the "Protestant Society for the Protection of Religious Liberty," are steadily pursuing their application to Parliament. The Body of London Ministers have signed a petition to both Houses, very numerously; and the Deputies

have one under consideration. Many of the London congregations, of the Three Denominations, will have their petitions ready for the opening of Parliament. It may be remembered that the Corporation of the City of London passed some strong Resolutions in favour of the repeal of the Test Laws, in May last. At a Common Council on the 24th instant, this subject was taken into consideration again, in consequence of a requisition to this effect; and petitions to both Houses, conformably to the Resolutions, were agreed to, with only two dissentient voices. This is an important and cheering fact, manifesting most clearly the growth of liberal opinions. Other Corporations will, we hope, follow this noble example. It is understood that Lord JOHN RUSSELL means to give notice of his motion for the Repeal on the first day of the meeting of Parliament, and to bring on the motion itself before the end of February. Congregations, and other bodies, meaning to petition, will see, therefore, that no time is to be lost. Wherever there are a dozen Dissenters or friends to Religious Liberty, there should be petitions, the numerousness of which is, at the present moment, of the first importance.

UNITARIAN MARRIAGE BILL.

THE Committee of the Unitarian Association have resolved to present their Marriage Bill to Parliament this Session in a quite different shape from that which was left in the Committee of the House of Lords, at the breaking up of the last Session. The principle of the New Bill is the same as the Second Bill which they submitted to Parliament-viz. that marriages shall be celebrated in Unitarian chapels, both chapels and ministers being recorded for the purpose of celebration. A plan of registry is to be provided; and it is to be left to the option of the clergy to make the register in the parish-books, the fee depending on compliance. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE will, it is expected, again introduce the measure in the House of Lords. Some of the Yorkshire clergy, meeting at the celebrated Tiger at Beverley, have prepared a petition against the Bill of last Session, which is no more!

CORRESPONDENCE.

COMMUNICATIONS have been received from Mr. T. Foster; M. D.; A Tradesman; and J. H. F.

Reports of Proceedings on the application to Parliament for the Repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts will be very acceptable. Provincial Newspapers containing such reports may be easily forwarded by post.

INSPIRATION, as Theologians employ the word, is the special knowledge or wisdom bestowed by the Supreme Being on an individual, with the view of aiding his faculties in the discovery or the communication of truth. Thus, Moses was inspired as a Legislator, Isaiah as a Prophet, and Jesus of Nazareth, most copiously,* as the Founder and Head of the Christian dispensation.

A miracle is implied both in Revelation and Inspiration. Still, they are not the same. By Revelation, in the usual import of the term, we mean the supernatural disclosure of Divine intentions, acts, doctrines, institutions, either to mankind at large, or to a select portion of them, or to an individual † from this Inspiration differs, in its being mental assistance given, out of the ordinary course of things, to a single individual, or to several individuals; and in its regarding the whole character and office of the Apostle, the Prophet, or the specially-commissioned Lawgiver and Leader.

He who is inspired in one capacity, may yet be uninspired in another. If he have an immediate appointment from Almighty God to make known his will, or to declare future events, or to redeem a people from slavery, it may fairly be concluded that, together with the supernatural commission, the messenger will receive supernatural gifts, for the purpose of carrying it into execution. In order that he may be the instrument of personally and

* John iii. 34.

† Michaelis, J. D., Introd., &c., [with notes by Marsh,] Vol. I. 375, &c. VOL. XIV.

orally revealing something to others, he will himself be inspired. But it does not, of necessity, follow that he will be inspired as a writer; when his task is only to record transactions, in which he took the principal share, or laws, which it was his office to proclaim and to administer.

Those writings are commonly spoken of as inspired, which, under a miraculous guidance, have been so framed as to be absolutely free from error. The questions, whether, and in what sense, the Scriptures are inspired, must evidently be questions of fact. Let us then ask, Do the Scriptures claim to be inspired? Did the purposes for which they were composed, require that they should be penned under the agency of Inspiration? What advantages are contemplated, and will be gained, by alleging this pretension in their behalf? Are there any, and what, disadvantages in urging it?

If there be texts which assert of the Scriptures collectively, that they were dictated and written under the superintendance of Inspiration, from such passages there lies no appeal.

One of those which are so cited, 2 Tim. iii. 16, is limited, confessedly, to the books of the Old Testament: it calls however for an examination.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine," &c.

Though I believe the just rendering of the verse to be, "All Scripture given by inspiration of God [or " every writing given," &c.] is likewise profitable for doctrine," &c., yet I am willing to take it, as it stands in the Public Translation. Our inquiry, therefore, should be, What did the Jews mean, when they affirmed that their Sacred Books were written by Inspiration? Probably, that they were written by inspired men ;* by persons, whom, as legislators, or as prophets, or as missionaries and apostles, the Deity had supernaturally endued. That such was the sense of the word, I collect, in part, from the manner in which Josephust uses a term, that might appear to have even a higher import. By an inspired book was denoted, it would seem, a book proceeding from an individual spe

*

66 By spirits" are sometimes designed, " spiritual persons ;" men having, or professing, inspiration. 1 John iv. 1, 23

+ Against Apion, I. 8. The expression is, "divine writings."

cially acquainted with the Will of God; an individual who possessed more than human knowledge or authority.

Stress has sometimes been placed on Rev. xxii. 18, 19. Every attentive and candid reader will perceive that the declaration there made regards exclusively the prophetic book of the Apocalypse, and can with no reason be considered as intentionally applicable to the volume of the Scriptures.

Not with greater justice has John xvi. 13, been quoted. This text relates not to the inspiration of any writings, but solely to that more perfect knowledge of the scheme of the gospel, which the apostles would possess after the day of Pentecost, and especially after the calling of the Gentiles.

But if the claim of Inspiration be no where advanced in the Bible for its contents, surveyed as a whole, is the same claim advanced for all or any of the books separately? Those books are historical, legislative, prophetic, devotional, didactic, epistolary. It is not improbable that, with hardly any exception, they were written severally by persons who, in various degrees, were inspired. At the same time, I am not aware of any pretensions to the inspiration of the writers, as such, being conveyed in the books themselves.

Luke, in the Preface to his Gospel, states not only the motives of his compiling an evangelical history, but the way in which he collected and distributed his materials. He describes, in general terms, the sources whence he drew, and he appears to claim that sort and measure of credibility, which, in its very nature, must be distinct from Inspiration, and independent on it: he relies on his accuracy of research and method, and his faithfulness of

narration.

The language of those authors who bear the name of the fathers, is far from being precise on the subject of the inspiration of the Scriptures. What they say respecting it, may usually be resolved into an attestation to the genuineness and credibility and supreme importance of the books so denominated; points concerning which all well-informed believers in the Jewish and Christian Reve lations are unanimous.

N.