derness, and discrimination, to the conscience and the heart. Who can tell the advantage to a Christian family, of having such a repository always at hand; to which resort may be had to solve all difficulties in reading the scriptures; to prove the truth or falsehood of what they may elsewhere read or hear; to resolve cases of conscience, which may arise in their own minds or in those of others; to instruct their families daily, by reading the portions marked for the purpose; and to be a source of the richest entertainment, instruction and consolation, when the world can no longer please or satisfy the mind. It does appear to us, that where these volumes cannot be purchased without giving up all fugitive publications of whatever kind, they ought immediately to be resigned. For ourselves, although we think our work contains more doctrinal instruction than most of the flying sheets of the day, yet we say, cheerfully and unreservedly, give it up and purchase Scott, if you cannot purchase, and keep the Advocate too.

Those who are in possession of the former editions, have certainly the substance of what is contained in this. Yet the additions and corrections in this last edition are not a few, and if we had not otherwise occupied our space, we should have stated them in detail. We cannot, however, advise those who with difficulty obtained the edition which preceded the present, or indeed any of the late editions, to purchase what is now offered. We may, with great propriety, repeat here the words of Dr. Johnson, in the advertisement prefixed to the last edition of his large dictionary"The changes or additions bear a very small proportion to the whole. The critick will now have less to object, but the student who bought any of the former copies, need not repent; he will not, without nice collation, perceive how they differ, and usefulness seldom depends upon

little things." We will, notwithstanding, suggest, that those who can afford it, will do well to give away a former copy to a poor friend, and to obtain this perfect one, in stereotype, for himself.

After all we have said, we are not to be understood as agreeing with Dr. Scott, in every jot and tittle of his Commentary. He was, in the matter of church order, a moderate but decided Episcopalian, and we are moderate but decided Presbyterians. We could also mention one or two passages of scripture, which relate to doctrine, to which he has given a construction, from which we feel constrained to dissent. But in regard to doctrines, we always dissent from him with the utmost diffidence; and we are glad to be able to say, that we agree with him in doctrinal points, more exactly than with any other author that we could name. He is just such a Calvinist as we thoroughly like; temperate and yet firm; steadfast in his own opinions, yet charitable toward those who differ from him in unessential matters; giving no quarter to "damnable heresies," yet treating those who have embraced them with compassion, and in every respect with Christian temper.

As to the particular volume, the coming forth of which has given occasion to these remarks, it is in the highest degree creditable to the enterprising publisher; who was, if we mistake not, the first printer in the United States, who more than twenty years ago, risked an American edition of Scott's Family Bible; and at that time the risk was considerable. The present work really deserves patronage, from those who wish to encourage the arts in our country, as well as from the friends of religion. The stereotype printing is in the very first style of execution, and for such an extended work (five large quarto volumes) must be very expensive. We trust, however, that the publisher will receive a full remuneration, in the success

of his enterprise. A superior engraving of the likeness of Dr. Scott which accompanied his life, and of the fac simile of his hand writing, frouts the title page of this volume.

The author of the following paper has not chosen to consider it as a Review; but it seems most properly to belong to this department of our work. We have something to add at the close.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

“Is Saul also among the Prophets?" Mr. Editor-In an age of boundless inquiry, and in a country where there are people of every shade of intellect and character to favour the pretensions of all sorts of pretenders; it is not surprising that folly sometimes exposes itself to contempt, where it might lie by undiscovered. Men who might, but for the irresistible vanity of being known, creep

"Along the cool sequestered vale of life" with satisfaction to themselves and without any great harm to their neighbours, leave the lowly track allotted them by nature, and like the exhalations of a bog, rise from the bed of obscurity only to annoy a higher atmosphere.

These reflections have been suggested by the perusal of a little pamphlet which lately appeared in the south, under the title of "An Explanation of the Apocalypse." The advertisement that announced it was set out in terms so imposing, that in common with many others, I felt a strong impulse of curiosity to see this phenomenon. The author's name, it is true, rather discouraged the hope of entertainment or instruction from his work. knowing that the largest diamond on earth was found in a field by a Russian peasant, I did not know whether something as strange had not happened in our own country. A hint, however, in the Christian Advocate for February, induced me to wait until last week, when this VOL. III.-Ch. Adv.

But

curious little pamphlet was sent me by a kind friend, and was read with all the attention due to its claims.

On finishing his labours, doubtless the writer felt

"Exegi monumentum, ære perennius!" He saw in rising prospect a new column added to the temple of science, with his name engraved in living brass upon its capital.

It is not my design, Mr. Editor, to review his work. Permit me only to add two or three remarks, which may possibly be of some use to fu

ture commentators of the same class

self the first discoverer of the meanwith our author. He proclaims himing, or of any thing near the meaning, of the book of Revelation. To redeem so high a pledge, thrown as it was gratuitously into the lap of rich in talent, and careful in rethe publick, he ought to have been search. What his talents really are, and what his researches have been, any intelligent reader of his scraps will easily judge.

He endeavours to establish the fact, that Irenæus, bishop of Lyons, wrote the Apocalypse. His proofs are, that this Christian father lived in the times of Commodus Albinus, and others whom he must have known, and of course hated, and consequently that he wrote the Apocalypse, "from a principle of insatiable revenge," to brand those heathens with infamy. Here there is nothing but pure conjecture; and Irenæus is too well known to suffer in his Christian character by any new lights of the present day. Nor is there indeed a single point of proof in this case, any better established, or more admissible at the bar of common sense, than the pretensions of our author himself as an interpreter.

To show that this sacred book could not have been written by John, he affirms that its style is altogether different from that of the apostle in his other writings. The contrary is so evident, that no reader of the Greek Testament can fail Z

to see an identity of style, which, considering the sublime and prophetick character of the Revelation, is truly astonishing. With regard to the date of the church in Thyatira, let the writer refer, if he is able, to Schleusner on the name, and to the authorities there cited.

But his "Master Key" is the mystical number of the Beast. This he finds in the name Decimus Clodius Albinus," written in Greek. Here, to break through the difficulties that opposed this step of his progress, he is compelled to throw that name into an oblique case, or to take the fatal alternative of honesty, and run up the number to 1116-450 too high. Now suppose some cavilling Christian should attempt a retaliation, by making out that number from another name. For example, I write ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ ZMYO. But this name fairly written will, as before, run up the number by several hundreds too high. I accordingly take two or three slight liberties with the orthography, and it numbers accurately, thus: AA AEE ANAP ONS 1, 30, 30, 5, 60, 1, 50, 4, 100, 70, 50, 6,

ΣΜΙΘ. 200, 40, 10, 9.

666.

There is the number of the beast! and within a fraction as fairly made out as it is by our new commentator. Therefore, 1. The church of Rome is not the wild beast of the Apocalypse; nor, 2. the French people; nor, 3. Bonaparte: but the aforesaid beast is neither more nor less than Alexander Smyth. Here is the same kind of reasoning with that of our author; except that his name, reduced to the Greek alphabet, and without any alteration, will really come nearer to the name of the Apocalyptick beast than that of Decimus Clodius Albinus by about one half.

Among other marks which, according to our author, fix the brand of Antichrist upon Albinus, is the amazing stomach which he is said to have possessed. He would devour

500 figs, 400 oysters, and an unknown quantity of other provisions at a breakfast. This ridiculous assertion is supported by only one writer, of whom we know hardly any thing-one Codrus. Yet it is used by our author to explain Rev. xiii. 2. " and his mouth as the mouth of a lion." But to digest such an exposition as this, a man surely must have at least as powerful a stomach as that of Albinus himself.

It is probable that the success of the pamphlet, will just about equal that of an attack made by the hand which wrote it, upon the publick character of one of our statesmen, a year or two since. For myself, I am well pleased that the cause of infidelity is so hard pushed, as to require the aid of such heads and such hands, to gather up its scattered ruins. On the whole, the commentary of the General has two defects, which have proved fatal to many a book and pamphlet-I mean its want of bulk and its want of truth. Brevity alone would not indeed consign it to oblivion. Its greatest danger arises from the other defect. For after the imposition is fairly exposed, there is little probability that a single copy of the work will reach its second unless it should be year; preserved in a collection of curious works of its own class. If such a collection should be attempted, I would respectfully suggest that the following articles should make a part of it-"The Travelling Millenarian, by Molleston Corrie; The Adventures of Baron Munchausen ; The Prophecy of Nimrod Hughes; Searson's Poems; The Essays of Barkley Townsend; Jack the Giant Killer; and Tom Thumb." These works, with the Commentary, would make a snug octavo. The author might, if he pleased, add for an appendix, his own military annals, and this communication of your humble servant PHILEMON.

Editorial Remarks.-It is not always easy to determine in what way

the productions of infidels may best be treated. They sometimes exhibit so much weakness, ignorance, absurdity and falsehood, that they seem fit for nothing but silent contempt; or to serve as mementoes to pious Christians, to pity and pray for their miserable authors. Yet the weak and the ignorant, who have souls to be saved or lost as well as others, may, unless an antidote be provided, be destroyed by a mental poison that can have no operation on vigorous and well exercised minds. And infidels themselves will affect to triumph, when they have obtained no victory, if truth disdains to array herself before them. In one way or another, by reason or by ridicule, it seems best to repel every infidel attack on the facts and doctrines of divine revelation. Every such attack may, at least, afford an opportunity for making statements, or conveying information, which may be useful to those whose occupations or habits are unfavourable to research and reflection.

The singular pamphlet of Alexander Smyth, member of congress, which has given rise to the foregoing reflections, was probably intended by him, strange as it may appear, chiefly as a catch-penny performance.-Such, at least, has been the information which we have received, in a way that seems entitled to credit. Still, the author, no doubt, wished to make a parade of his erudition, and a display of his ingenuity, by accommodating the predictions of the Apocalypse to certain persons and events, of which history furnishes an account in the early periods of the Christian church. But we think it by no means probable that "the honourable member" himself had any belief at all, that the writer of the Apocalypse had really in view the men and things to which his prophecies are applied in this pamphlet. The pamphlet, we think, was simply intended to discover learning and ingenuity, to

obtain a few dollars, to make the publick stare, to mislead blockheads, and as far as its author could, to vex serious Christians. Our correspondent has given him the treatment which he deserves, and that which he has received in other religious miscellanies.

Our purpose, in what we have further to say, is to make use of this opportunity to convey to our readers some account of Polycarp; a short view of the evidence on which the Revelation of St. John has been received as canonical scripture; and the opinions which wise and well informed men have delivered, in regard to the number 666

the number of the Apocalyptick beast. By doing this we hope to make the publication of Mr. Smyth the occasion of some good-Our limits, of course, will not admit of much detail.

All

Polycarp was the bishop, or presiding pastor, of the church of Smyrna; one of the seven Asiatick churches, to which the apostle John was divinely commanded to write, and to which he did write, what we find in the first three chapters of the book of his Revelation. antiquity agrees that Polycarp was the disciple of John, and that he used to relate what he had heard from him and other apostles of the acts and sayings of Christ. There is little reason to doubt that Polycarp was the "angel of the church of Smyrna," at the very time that it was addressed by St. John. With this fact in view, and a knowledge of what eventually befel Polycarp, the address, Rev. ii. 8-11, may be read with peculiar interest. Polycarp, like his master John, lived to a very great age, probably not less than a hundred years; since at his martyrdom, when the Roman proconsul urged him with the promise of a release, to reproach Christ, he answered-"Eighty and six years have I served him, and he hath never wronged me, and how can I blaspheme my King, who hath saved

me." He suffered martyrdom about the middle of the second century, says Mosheim-in the year 167 says Milner-under the Roman emperor Marcus Antoninus, whose character was in many respects excellent and amiable; but whose proud stoicism rendered him a most cruel and unrelenting persecutor of the Christians, to his latest breath.

Polycarp was burnt at the stake, and met death with the most consummate fortitude and composure. Miracles had not then ceased in the church; and it is well attested that the flames, at first, made an arch over him, without doing him injury; and that a very fragrant perfume, very perceptible by many witnesses, issued from the fire. At length a soldier transfixed him with a sword; and his blood having extinguished the fire, it was rekindled, to prevent his friends from obtaining his body, which was now reduced to ashes. This account of his martyrdom, with many other circumstances attending it, was written immediately after his death, by the members of his mourning church at Smyrna, the witnesses of every fact they record, and sent abroad into sister churches, for their information and confirmation in the faith of the gospel. Scalliger's opinion of this letter, as given by Cave, was, that nothing in all antiquity, after the apostolick age, is more edifying and animating.

Eusebius states, that Irenæus, the disciple of Polycarp, represented him as having written a number of epistles, both to churches and individuals; and this, from his long life and great eminence in the church, is highly probable. The only production of his pen, however, that has come down to us, is his Epistle to the Philippians. This epistle is about as long as the first of Paul's to Timothy. It touches on a variety of topicks, all tending, however, to confirm them in the simplicity of gospel faith and obedience; and he particularly refers

to the instructions and exhortations which they had received on the same subjects from the apostle Paul. It abounds with quotations from the scriptures; several from the Old Testament, and many from the New, especially from the epistles of Paul. Mr. Smyth thinks that it is conclusive evidence that John did not write the Book of Revelation because Polycarp, his disciple, has not quoted it in this epistle. But any one who reads the epistle of Polycarp, will find that from the beginning to the end of it, there was no occasion to quote the Apocalypse; no place indeed in which it could be quoted, unless it had been dragged in unnecessarily and improperly. And because a man does not quote what would be impertinent if quoted, is this a reason why it should be believed that he was ignorant of the writing not quoted, or that he rejected it as spurious? It may be a reason, for a man of such mind and habits as are those of Mr. Smyth, but certainly not for common minds. Polycarp, we have found on a careful perusal of this epistle, quotes from the gospels both of Matthew and Mark, but not a word from that of John: ergo, Polycarp was ignorant of John's gospel, or thought it spurious. This is conclusive reasoning, according to the dialectick of Mr. Smyth. Polycarp fortunately quotes the first epistle of John; otherwise, Mr. Smyth's canons of criticism would have left us none of the writings of the beloved apostle. General La Fayette has lately written a letter to the Agricultural Society of Pennsylvania, in which he has not said one word of President Washington's Farewell Address: ergo, as La Fayette was the pupil of Washington, and does not mention this address in his letter to the Agricultural Society, we have good reason to believe that address did not exist when La Fayette wrote his letter; but was afterwards forged by chief justice Marshall, the writer of