have all to be faved. 1. Tim. ii. 4. His falvation is fufficient to fave all mankind; but we are fo wicked of ourselves, that we refuse the fame, and we will not take it, when it is offered to us, and therefore he faith, Few are chofen, that is, few have pleasure or delight in it." ON 1 PETER, iii. 19. TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S IN SIR, MAGAZINE. "An 'N anfwer to the inquiry of O. P. Q. in your last number, p. 462. refpecting the meaning of the phrafe" fpirits in prifon," in 1 Pet. iii. 19. I write to inform him, that the interpretation of it, which he mentions, is maintained at length, though not, as I think, fatisfactorily made out, in a book published at Cambridge in 1692, and entitled, Enquiry into Four Remarkable Texts of the New Teftament," by John Edwards, B.D. fometime Fellow of St. John's College, in Cambridge, Mr. Edwards refers to Epifcopius (Inftitut. 1. iv. c. 3o.) and to Limborch (Theolog. Chriftian, lib. 3. cap. 13.) as having given an Interpretation of this paffage in fome refpects fimilar to his own, I have not Epifcopius at hand. The opinion of Limborch is thus given:"Per fpiritus five animas homines integros defignari, notius eft, quàm ut probari neceffi fit: hoc eodem loco octo anima, id eft, homines, in arca dicuntur falvæ factæ. Dicuntur autem effe in carcere, quia ob incredulitatem jam certæ damnationi erant deftinati, non aliter ac fi jam damnati revera effent; uti dicitur Joan. iii. 18. Qui non credit, jam judicatus: vel quia vinculis ignorantiæ ac peccati, non aliter ac fpirituali aliquo carcere, detinebantur ; uti dicitur Matt. iv. 16." Limb. Theolog. Chrift. lib. iii. cap. xiii. fect. xxix. The fame interpretation is mentioned, but mentioned only to be rejected, by Dr. George Benfon, in his "Paraphrafe and Notes on the Catholic Epiftles." Epiftles." What my own idea of the meaning of this paffage of Scripture is, O. P. Q. may fee, if he pleases, by confulting your Number for May 1807, p. 368. 66 Rempftone, July 9. 1807. I am, Sir, your's &c." P. S. I request the favour of your readers to correct the following errata in your last number. P. 467. 1. 20. for "the Unitarians," read " Unitarians." P. 469. 1. 8. for and," read "with." P. 470. l. 1. place inverted commas before "Confidering." P. 470. 1. 22. for "first," read "thus" P. 471. laft line, after "15," read" Bleed are the people, who have the Lord for their God, would be better bus: Blessed &c." P. 472. laft line, for " "Matt," read "Malachi.' PALESTINE ASSOCIATION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. A SIR, N affociation has been lately formed on the plan of the African Society; the object of which is to promote the ends of learning in forwarding and affifting difcoveries in the interior of Syria and Palestine. As this inftitution promifes to be of great importance for the elucidation of the Scriptures, as well as to the general interefts of literature and fcience, you will, no doubt, gratify many of your readers by inferting the inclofed paper, which exhibits the subjects to which the attention of the travellers felected by the committee to be fent into Syria and other regions of the caft at the expense of the affociation is to be directed; 1.-Aftronomical obfervations to ascertain the fituations of the most remarkable places. E Vol. XIII. Churchm. Mag. for July 1807. 2.-Ranges --Ranges and heights of mountains. 3.-Breadth and depth of rivers, with their courses, fords, and bridges: wells and fountains; whether of fweet, falt, or brackish water. 4.-Times and extent of inundations. 5.-Every other obfervation relative to the geography and topography of Palestine, which may be of ufe in the forma tion of a more accurate map of the country than has hitherto appeared. 6.-Procefs of agriculture in all parts. 7.-To compofe a meteorological journal according to a form prepared for the purpose in England, and in which shall be comprised an accurate statement of the winds and-temperature for the whole year, mentioning the place, time, and expofure. 8.-A lift of the natural productions of Palestine, with a defcription of the foil and fituation of those that are more rare; particular attention to be paid to the culture and use of the date and the palm trees. 9.-To obferve the uses, of any kind whatever, the other botanil productions of the country are applied; whether thefe ufes are publicly known or kept fecret in particular families, and what is their medicinal or chemical va Jue. 10.-To detect the errors of former travellers. 11. To make accurate drawings of the implements of mafonry, carpenter's work, and other handicrafts. 12. Substance and quantity of food confumed in the families of the inhabitants in different fituations, in life. 13.-Whence the neighbourhood of Jerufalem is fupplied with fuel and timber for building. 14.-To endeavour to trace the progrefs of the Ifraelites under Mofes and Joshua in their operations against the poffeffors of the promised land, and the fubfequent diftribution of the tribes; verifying characteristic epithets given to the feveral countries mentioned in the Scriptures, and to conti nue the fame obfervations throughout the whole of Palestine with reference to the latter periods of the Jewish hif tory. 15.-To write in Arabic and English characters the name of every town, village, river, mountain, &c. by which the traveller may pafs; and to obferve the greatest accuracy in marking down their respective bearings, and their distances, in computed miles, and in hours. 16.-The 16.-The ftricteft attention must be paid to the draughts, plans, and sketches of the country; and drawings will be made of those buildings which appear to be of importance from their undoubted antiquity, or architectural peculiarities. 17.-It would be extremely defirable to form an ample collection of infcriptions, manufcripts, and medals, and other valuable monuments of antiquity, whether Hebrew, Phonician, Greek, or Roman. 18-Eftimate of the prefent population of Palestine, with details of the manners and cuftoms of the inhabitants, 19. Veftiges of ancient cultivation in parts of the country now defolate and unproductive. 20.-Weights; and measures of time, diftance, and capacity. 21. The prefent modes of dividing the year and day, in ufe among the Arabs, Turks, Chriftians of each denomination, and Jews; as well as the ftate of trade and manufactures within the limits of Paleftine, and its vicinity. A variety of other fubjects of enquiry of a more particular and detailed nature, cannot fail to fuggeft themselves to the committee, when they are preparing their inftructions for their travellers. The following is a lift of the members of the committer appointed by the association: A. Hamilton, D.D. F. R.S. V.P.A. Prefident. Earl of Aberdeen, Treasurer, William Hamilton, Esq. F.S. A. Secretary. George Browne, Efq. Rev. W. Cockburn, J. Spencer Smith, Efq. LL. D. F.R.S. F.S. A. ON DR. KNOX'S LETTER. TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S SIR, MAGAZINE. YOU have properly noticed and reprehended the conduct of one clergyman for making an impudent attack upon the Catholic faith, in a fermon preached at an archdiaconat vifitation; nor have you paffed over without juft cenfure, the inconfiftency of others, who in leaguing with fectaries of various descriptions, feem indifferent to what may befal that Church which they are bound by every principle of common honour and honefty to fupport. It is with fome concern that I request a place in your next number for a few ftrictures upon the extraordinary conduct of another divine, of fome note in the literary world, though not of much confequence in the Church. The perfon to whom I allude is the Rev. Dr. Knox, mafter of Tunbridge fchool, who has officiously thrust himfelf forward to public notice, by the publication of a strange letter in the newspapers, wherein his venerable diocefan is attacked in a manner which fhews that the writer is loft to all fenfe of common decorum. It seems that the bishop of Rochester and his clergy, at a late vifitation held at Tunbridge, thought proper to frame an address to his majefty, expreffing their acknowledg ments for the firmness evinced by him, for the fecurity of our Religious Conftitution, and efpecially for his confpicuous difplay of that firmness on a late occafion." As it was poffible that a few of the clergy might either think fuch an addrefs unneceffary or have objections to the wording of fome parts of it, therefore to prevent any altercation it was agreed upon, that when the ceremonials of the vifitation were over, the address should be read, and then fubmitted for fubfcription to those who approved of it. No one, however, was called upon to fign it. Every person was left to the unbiaffed dictates of his own mind But Dr. Knox, with that petulance which has ever marked his character, immediately arofe, after the addrefs was read, and attempted to deliver a political and an inflammatory harangue before the altar. On this the bishop very properly interpofed his authority, and prevented the orator from turning the houfe of God into a political debating room. Out of revenge the doctor publishes his intended declamation in the newspapers in the form of a letter to a friend. In this letter he is fiercely angry with the bishop and with the clergymen who brought forward the addrefs, which he characterizes as being merely political, and which therefore ought not to have been read by the bifhop from the altar. The doctor then goes on to tell us what he intended to have faid; and here, according to his own principles, he ought not to have entered upon a political difcuffion before the altar.-Now the doctor's |