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CONVOCATION ought to be assembled only by the king's writ; that they will never from thenceforth presume to promulgate or execute any canons, &c. unless by the king's most royal licence and assent, &c." yet, as Burn observes, "they may act and proceed as provincial councils, when his majesty, in his royal wisdom, shall judge it expedient."

Thanks be to a good and gracious God, in the place of the cruel and arbitrary HENRY VIII. the plunderer of monasteries, the rapacious robber of the revenues of the clergy; we have now seated upon the throne of this united kingdom, the mild and amiable GEORGE III.; the firm defender of the established religion; the proved respecter of his CORONATION OATH; the watchful guardian of the rights and privileges of the church. Can we then doubt, that if a respectful petition were drawn up by the heads of the church, signed by a competent number of the clergy, (as doubtless it would readily and cheerfully be,) and presented in due form to the KING, by a deputation of the clergy; that his MAJESTY, in his paternal affection to his people, and from a sincere love to the established religion, would most readily accede to the prayer of the petition, desiring his authority to allow THE CONVOCATION TO ACT AND PROCEED AS A PROVINCIAL COUNCIL? For my own part, I do not entertain the. shadow of a doubt, that our GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN would with all readiness grant the sanction of his authority for the purpose of executing most fully and effectually what is mentioned above.

Of the absolute necessity of this measure I am myself most fully convinced, and, as an individual, and a free individual, who is solely actuated by a sincere love of the established religion, I claim the privilege of saying, that unless this only efficient means of upholding the Church of England against its numerous and daily increasing enemies, be very speedily resorted to, it will be too late!! and we ourselves shall, ere any long period is passed over our heads, have cause to bewail our astonishing supineness, our wonderful blindness to our danger, when the pure and apostolical religion, established in this united kingdom, is completely overthrown, and when the throne and monarchy are buried in its ruins!!!

Mr. Editor, I wish most sincerely that in the above prediction I may prove a false prophet; but, allow me to say, that I wish much more "that my warning voice may be obeyed;" and that our prelates on the bench, and the

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true and sincere friends of the Church of England, would unite together, and deeply and thoroughly canvass this most important point, and act according to the suggestions of their united wisdom, and as the exigencies and dangers by which we are surrounded, may point out. Thus, Mr. Editor, I have executed what I conceive to be my duty. I have discharged my conscience, and let the result be what it may, I shall, however, have nothing to reproach myself with; but at least shall have the satisfaction of always reflecting, that I have contributed my mite towards putting on their guard those who are appointed to watch over "our Sion," and who by a timely exertion of their abilities, and the powers vested in them, may avert those dangers, which, by neglect or by contempt of them, must otherwise soon sink us in irretrievable ruin!!!

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REMARKS ON THE PREFACE TO ST. LUKE'. GOSPEL.

(Concluded from page 94.)

PATIETE." That the word Theophilus is not an appel

tion of the title κρατίςος. But who this person was, (says Michaelis,) it is at present difficult to determine. That he was a man of rank appears from the title which St. Luke has given him: for in the Acts of the Apostles, ch. xxiii. 26, xxiv. 3, xxvi. 26, this title is applied to the Roman governors of Judæa, Felix and Festus. On the other hand, it was not confined to men of this elevated station, but was applied in the East to persons in general

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whose rank and office entitled them to respect. The word was adopted in the Palmyrene Syriac; for there are three Palmyrene inscriptions, in each of which a certain Epitropus and Ducenarius is entitled patios*. This title, therefore, determines no particular rank; and Oecumenius was certainly mistaken in saying, in his commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, that St. Luke's Theophilus was a Roman governor, because Felix and Festus had the same title; for Theophilus is neither a Latin name, nor does it ever occur in the Roman history as the governor of a province." Thus professor Michaelis. But as Luke wrote in Greek, and in a masterly manner, and for the information of a person evidently acquainted with Greek courtesy, and has used this title only four times, and thrice out of that number has clearly applied it to a Roman governor, why should he not be considered as being no bad expositor of his own meaning in the remaining case? However, why should we think it at all necessary, in a case of so little importance, to give ourselves the trouble of a tedious journey to Palmyra, where honours were ever cheap, in quest of three inscriptions in honour of persons who died, perhaps, two or three centuries after, and which if legible, we have no great reason to think certainly convey the meaning which professor Michaelis has affixed to them, as we perceive

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appears to have expressed himself about very common things in a very questionable manner; and if they do convey that meaning, only serve to shew that St. Luke may have addressed two treatises concerning the Christian faith, either to an Epitropus or Ducenarius; and if to the latter, that the rank of a Centurion, and that of a DuceDarius, have furnished the church with the two most illustrious heathen converts. He has taken upon him, we perceive, to assure us that Oecumenius was certainly mistaken, and why? because, forsooth, "this title determines no particular rank," and because Theophilus is neither a Latin name, nor does it, occur in the Roman history as the name of a governor of a province. But pray is Archelaus, or Herod, or Philip, or Lysanias, a Latin name? How often do these occur in Roman history? are not

* If this word was applied to persons of this description at Palmyra, would it therefore follow that it was so applied in places nearer Rome; Bythynia, for instance, or Greece? or, that Theophilus was therefore not Roman governor ?

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these the names of Roman governors? But though he would not have Theophilus thought a Roman governor, we perceive, he even contends from this title which Luke has given him, that he was a man of such rank as was not to be met with in all Macedonia, the inhabitants of which country, he makes Paul represent as so extremely poor, that a man of Theophilus's rank could not live among them. Whether they were even incapable of supporting an Epitropus or a Ducenarius, he has not thought it worth his while to inform us. And after all," this great critic," as he is accounted by the author of the Key to the New Testament, and perhaps by some others, we find admits that this dignified friend of our Evangelist may have been some nobleman in Upper Egypt; but, if so, why not a Roman governor? By what other means did this Greek obtain his nobility in a foreign country?

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EOE."The Greek name Theophilus, (says Michaelis) agrees likewise with the opinion that he wrote in a Grecian city. The only objections that can be made to this are: first, that St. Paul, in his 2d epistle to the Cor. ch. viii. 2, 3, represents the Macedonian Christians as being extremely poor; whereas Theophilus, as appears from the title which St. Luke has given him, was a man of rank: and, secondly, that St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Philip'pians, has greeted no person of the name of Theophilus; nor in his 2d Epistle to the Cor. which he wrote in Macedonia*, has he mentioned Theophilus as greeting the Corinthians. But neither of these objections are of any weight. For we are not certain that Theophilus was a Christian; and if he were, there is no necessity for supposing, either that he lived in the city of Philippi, or that he was acquainted with the members of the Christian community at Corinth." Vol. iii. p. 263.

Theodore Hase contends that Theophilus had been a Jewish high-priest. According to Josephius, Annas, in whose pontificate Christ suffered, had, beside his son-in law Caiaphas, four sons and a grandson pontiffs before the commencement of the Jewish war. His sons were, Jonathan, deposed by Vitellius; Theophilus, appoinred by Vitellius in his brother's room, and deposed by Agrippa, king of Judæa; Matthias, appointed by the same Agrippa,

*The second Epistle to the Corinthians, was not written in any part of Macedonia; it was clearly written after Paul had passed through Macedonia.

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in the room of Simon Cantheras; and, after several changes, Ananus. His grandson was Matthias by Theophilus.

Michaelis thinks that the arguments advanced in favour of this opinion are so strong, as to render it more probable than any other*, and remarks, that this Theophilus is the only person of that name, whose history is recorded in the annals of the first century, vol. iii. But if Theophilus was the son of Annas, and brother-in-law to Caiaphas, and himself high-priest, how is it that he stood in need of being instructed by a foreigner, (for so the professor thought Luke was) in the history of our Lord's ministry? Surely he must have had at least as good an opportunity during his residence at Jerusalem, as Luke, of bringing himselfacquainted with the particulars of Christ's ministry; if not much better, especially after his admission into the fellowship of believers. Besides, how is it that St. Luke has described so circumstantially a variety of particulars, with some of which it can hardly be supposed that any high-priest could have been unacquainted; and with many of which, it is not a little remarkable, that Theophilus should have been so for instance,-Though he may not have been aware of the general taxation that took place about thirty years before his brother-in-law became his father's colleague in the high priesthood, yet it may seem not a little strange, that he should not have been acquainted, at least as well as any foreigner whatever, with the names of those governors who presided over Judæa and its neighbouring districts, at the very time when they were co-assessors in the pontifical chair; and it must appear much more strange, that he should have stood in the least need of being told by any one, that John and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high-priest were present, in the council when Peter and John were examined as to the good deed done to the impotent man and though he might not have heard of the priest Zecharias, or of the descent and name of his wife, &c.; or, that there had been such a prophetess as Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; or,

"All these circumstances put together, render the opinion highly probable, that St. Luke's Theophilus is no other than Theophilus, the son of Annas, who is mentioned by Josephus. And if the opinion be true, as I really believe, it adds greatly to the credibility of St. Luke's gospel for, &c." Mich. vol. iii. p. 240.

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