would have been if a wild beast had visited their neighborhood.'. How this conclusion follows from the premises, is a matter which puzzles me much. Whether Christ did or did not warn his hearers against the power of the devil, is a question of fact to be judged of by those who read the Bible. But it does not follow that he did not warn them, from the fact that satan was the cause of this woman's disorder. The premises and conclusion never saw each other, they do not belong to the same country. Mr. B. further says, 'whoever contends that satan bound this woman, ought to contend that all persons so bound now, and why not all diseases, are inflicted by him.' With just as much reason might you say, that because certain effects were wrought, in the time of Christ, by a supernatural agency, therefore all effects in the material world are miracles. Because the bread was multiplied to feed five thousand by a miracle, so all bread comes into being by the touch of a miraculous hand. Because the apostles learned Greek by a miracle, therefore Mr. Balfour's Greek came by supernatural illumination. Now it by no means follows, that because while he was upon earth, who came to destroy the works of the devil, satan was permitted to exhibit his malignant agency more visibly, by spending it upon the bodies of men, in order to afford an opportunity the more strikingly to display the Redeemer, in his whole capacity of turning men from darkness unto light, and from the power of satan unto God,-it by no means follows that the same phenomena must be exhibited at all times. The exercise of a little common sense would have saved the labor of such an argument.

"Luke 22: 3. Then entered satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. On this passage Mr. B. says 'Well, what satan entered into Judas? I answer the spirit of opposition to Jesus, and the secret purpose to betray him.' In order to get the true sense of the verse therefore, we must read it-Then entered the spirit of opposition to Jesus, and the secret purpose to betray him, into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. John 13: 27. And after the

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sop, satan entered into him. Here Mr. B. says, ' What satan now entered into Judas? For it is said in the preceding passage that satan entered into him. I answer, his fixed determination to execute his purpose. This purpose is called satan entering into him, Luke 22: 1-7. And the devil putting it into his heart, John 13: 2.' We may therefore read the several passages in the following manner-John 13: 27. And after the sop his fixed determination to execute his purpose entered into him. John 13: 2. And supper being ended his secret purpose to betray him having now put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon's son to betray him. Luke 22: 3. Then entered his secret determination to execute his purpose into Judas surnamed Iscariot being of the number of the twelve. It seems then according to Mr. Balfour's metaphysics, that the secret purpose of Judas to betray Christ, put it into his heart to betray him. And that his fixed determination immediately to execute his purpose, entered into him, and instigated him immediately to carry his determination to execute his purpose into execution. This appears evident, because Mr. B. within one page, and in commenting on that same passage, uses determination instead of purpose, and makes it mean the same thing. Mr. B. then certainly interchanges purpose, design and determination, and makes them all mean the same thing. It seems that the determination of Judas enters into him to execute his purpose, and his purpose puts it into his heart to execute his design, and both his purpose and design instigate him to execute his determination. This must either be a tri-devil, or else one devil enters into Judas to execute another devil. In either case we think it surpasses even Ezekiel's vision of a wheel within a wheel, and outdoes every 'christian devil,' and every 'orthodox devil,' of which we ever heard or read.

"2 Cor. 11: 14. And no marvel; for satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. On this passage, Mr. B. endeavors to prove as in other places, that satan means the 'unbelieving and persecuting Jews.' In order to get the true sense of the apostle then, we must read this and the following

passage thus-And no marvel, for the unbelieving and persecuting Jews himself is transformed into an angel of light.

“Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. Mr. B. says also that the term satan, means unbelieving and persecuting Jews, in the following passages, which I will read according to his translation. 2 Cor. 2: 7. And lest I should be exalted above measure, through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of the unbelieving and persecuting Jews, to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 1 Thess. 2: 18. Wherefore we would have come to you, even I, Paul, once and again, But the unbelieving and persecuting Jews hindered us. 2 Thes. 2: 9. Even him whose coming is after the workings of the unbelieving and persecuting Jews with all power and signs, and lying wonders. 1 Tim. 5: 15. For some have already turned aside after the unbelieving and persecuting Jews. Rev. 2: 9. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemies of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are of the synagogue of the unbelieving and persecuting Jews. Rev. 3: 9. Behold I will make them of the synagogue of the unbelieving and persecuting Jews which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie, behold I will make them come and worship before thy feet.

"1 Peter 5: 8. Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour. Here Mr. B. says, 'It is confidently believed by many good people, that this devil who walketh about like a roaring lion, is a fallen angel or malignant spirit. But I ask how is such a belief to be reconciled with his having his abode in hell, with some in the air, and others his tempting men in all parts of the earth at the same time? Such a belief is contrary to all facts and experience. Did ever any person see the devil in the shape of a lion, hear him roar, or is an instance on record in the history of mankind, of one being devoured by him? Such idle, childish stories have been told of the devil,

but what man in our day gives the least credit to them?" After this taunt and long and labored criticism, Mr. B. comes to the conclusion that the devil here means the persecuting Jews. The passage therefore, according to Mr. B. should stand thusBe sober, be vigilant, for your adversary, the persecuting Jews, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. But I ask, how is such a belief to be reconciled with the Jews having their abode at Jerusalem, with some that the devil is the principle of evil personified, and even with Mr. B. himself, that the devil was ‘Judas' fixed determination to execute his purpose?' Such a belief is contrary to all facts and experience. Did ever any person see either of these devils, in the shape of a lion, hear him roar, or is an instance on record, of one being devoured by him? Such idle and childish stories are repeatedly told by Mr. B. and by other Unitarian, Universalist - and Infidel writers. But what man who believes the Bible gives the least credit to them?

"John 8: 44. Ye are of your father the devil and the lust of your father ye will do ; he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth. On this passage, after quoting and misapplying Professor Stuart, (who by the way proves nothing to Mr. B.'s purpose) Mr. B. finally concludes that the devil here referred to, means lust. So we have it, ye are of your father the lust, and the lusts of the lust ye will do. Lust was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When lust speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own, for lust is a liar and the father of it. We may remark here, however, that our Saviour is addressing those very persecuting Jews, whom Mr. B. in other places calls the devil and Satan. Now as these Jews were of their father the lust, it seems that one devil begot another devil, who went about like a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour. We may be assured therefore that Mr. B. not only teaches the true doctrine of devils, but gives us the history of the whole progeny in chronological order. But in order to enjoy a little more light on this subject, we will endeavor once more to open our

understandings to Mr. B.'s metaphysics. It is evident that the Jews must have lusted before their lusts could have had any influence. This appears from Mr. B.'s own declarations. For in order to illustrate his comment upon this passage, he proceeds to quotes our Saviour's address to the Jews. Ye do the deeds of your father. What father? Asks Mr. B. What they had seen or learned from their own evil lusts or passions. According to this, the Jews must have begotten their lusts, and their lusts must have begotten the Jews. So we may read it,-Ye are of your father the lusts, and the lusts of your lusts ye will do, your lusts was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in your lusts. When your lusts speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for your lusts is a liar, and the father of it. Surely Solomon did not live in our day. He declared that there is no new thing under the sun. But if his happy lot had been cast in these days of 'interpretation,' he might learn from Mr. B. that the parents begot the children and the children begot the parents."

But here we must finish the examination of particular passages, not however for want of the wherewith to entertain the reader with our author's novelties of interpretation equal to any thing yet exhibited in the language of the writer above quoted. We need not marvel that our author is somewhat given to change, since he had been so much harrassed by lust and fixed determinations to bring himself before the public and many other devils of which we cannot now speak particularly. We confess, however, that it is not a little surprising how Mr. B. should be able to make such a display of profound erudition in the oriental languages, while the translators of our English version were mere blockheads and gross pedants. But such things have happened before, and even a pedagogue would stand pre-eminently learned in the midst of gaping rustica while "Still they gazed and still the wonder grew T'hat one small head could carry all he knew."

Mr. B.'s next chapter consists of objections to the existence