circumstance, which I conceive arts, and in opposition to piety to be a lamentable departure from and virtue; and this must doubtthis most estimable quality, that I less have been the meaning of this am now induced to address you. respectable minister. But while I regret the occasion for this: and I am sensible that talents are too I particularly regret that the want frequently thus misapplied, I think of liberality, which is but another thoy seldom or never lead to Athename for charity, for justice! ism, as he appeared to intimate; should have been evinced by one, much less, is this unhappy state of who, in most respects, is an orna- mind to be ascribed to the enquiries ment to the church to which he of philosophy, the parent, rather, belongs, and a conspicuous ex- I conceive, of genuine and elevated ample of talent combined with un- piety. remitting zeal in the discharge of every apprehended duty. The instance of which I have to complain, occurred in a sermon I am just returned from hearing, and, as I cannnot suppose that the worthy minister, of whom, in this case, I am induced to disapprove, stands alone in the fault, I am desirous through your publication of submitting to the consderation of others, as well as to that of the person more immediately concern. ed, the propriety of avoiding the defect in future, and of revising and eradicating the erroneous opinions, from which it springs. The discourse alluded to, was designed chiefly to shew the worthlessness of the applause and honour of men, inasmuch as such honour is not paid to piety and Christian holiness, but rather to the disquisitions of philosophy, the display of talents, and the successful artifices of the ambitious conqueror. In contemning the praises bestowed on the latter I freely partici. pate, but I can by no means accord with the preacher in, what I understood to be, his sentiments with respect to the futility and even pernicious tendency of the former. Such praise is certainly futile, and of injurious conse. quences, when bestowed on vicious This, however, which I regard as an unfair and injurious disparagement of philosophy and talents, is not the material object of my present appeal to you. I lament that I have to complain of imputations of the very worst kind, against MEN, who, though they may be "faithful friends, good citizens, lovers of truth and attached to what is good," yet without Christian principles, would not be found to stand in the moment of temptation. Give them but an opportunity of promoting their own advantage," of supplanting a rival," or of overcoming an enemy, and "they will not be scrupulous about the means;” whilst he who is under the influence of Christian principles," will persevere in the discharge of his duty, even unto death. Now what ingenuous mind, I may be permitted to ask, what unsuspect. ing mind, would not infer from this, that the influence of Christian principles could, alone, enable a man to withstand the temptations and the sufferings of the world, and to brave the terrors of death? But is this true in fact? I believe not, and I think it would be difficult for this gentlemen to shew, why that man is not to be trusted, who does not believe and acknowledge Jesus Christ, because principles. Every vice, and every he conscientiously deems himself absurdity have had their zealous in want of sufficient evidence; devotees, who have met death rabut who, notwithstanding, is im- ther than abandon them. The moveably convinced of the su- honest and conscientious disciple perintendence of an omnipotent of moral rectitude, may be as inand all-wise Creator, who has corruptible as other men, and is everlastingly ordained, that virtue faithful and true so long as he shall never fail to meet its appro- adheres to his principles, however priate reward-happiness; and inferior those principles may be that vice and disregard of principle deemed. No more can be justly shall as invariably be followed by said in favour of the Christian. misery. Both are men subject to weak. I know the estimable author of nesses and passions, and it is not the imputation I have complained the adoption of this principle, or of, I know him to be incapable of that, that will secure us against of making such injurious reflec- the danger of falling. tions on any of his Christian breth- Had the reflections, on which I eren, to whatever sect they may have taken the liberty thus to ani belong. But is this sufficient? I madvert, been confined strictly to would entreat of him. Has his a display of the superiority of Christian charity, his liberality no CHRISTIANITY over every other wider a range or does he really conceive that the most absurd dogmatist of the Christian denomination, is more entitled to his affection and forbearance, than the man whose principles may be such as I have described? I am satisfied that it is unnecessary to point out the serious consequences of such imputations, were they implicitly received, and acted upon. Nor would any one be more averse, I hope, than the author of them, to the deliberate proscription of men from the confidence of their fellows, merely because they differed in an affair of moment, on which they had not learned to agree. It requires, I conceive, no very extensive knowledge of mankind to system of religion or morality, it would have been worthy and becoming of the minister; but when a distrust of MEN was inculcated, because they were impressed with other principles, he certainly incurred the reproof of the Apostle Paul:-" WHO ART THOU THAT JUDGEST ANOTHER MAN'S SER. VANT; TO HIS OWN MASTER HE STANDETH OR FALLETH." T. S.* Early English Antipædobaptists. curius Rusticus, or the Coun- convince any one, that, what- of this late flourishing Kingdome. ever superiority Christianity may possess in other respects, it is in no wise peculiar to its votaries to resist temptation, or to encounter mar. tyrdom, in the maintenance of its * Our Correspondent has favoured us with his name at length, and the place of his residence, which we suppress, from their not being necessary to the elucidation of his argument. ED. Printed in the yeere 1646. This Brownists and Anabaptists, that was a weekly paper, published by a third part of the people refuse the royalists. It contains horrible to communicate in the churchdetails, though large allowance liturgie, and halfe refuse to remust be made for a virulence of ceive the blessed sacrament, unparty spirit, apparent in every page. less they may receive it in Having narrated the sufferings of what posture they please to take some royalists in other parts of it. They have amongst them Essex, the journalist proceeds with two sorts of Anabaptists. The an account of the demolition of a one they call the old men or Aswindow of painted glass, in the persi, because they were but church of Chelmsford, by the Sec- sprinkled. The other the new taries of that town, who, though men or the Immersi, because they the churchwardens tooke downe were overwhelmed in their rethe pictures of the blessed Virgin, baptization." P. 22. and of Christ on the crosse, and The former part of this quotasupplied the places with white tion, shews the rapid progress of glasse, yet did rest very ill satis- the anti-episcopalian party, dur fyed with this partiall imperfect ing six years, atter the meeting of Reformation. P. 23. The storyof the Long-Parliament at the end this outrage is prefaced in the fol. of 1640. But my principal design lowing manner :in sending you the extract, was to "Chelmesford is the Shire-towne, enquire of your readers, acquainted and hath in it two thousand com- with the history of the Antimunicants. All these are parish- Pædobaptists, whether there were ioners of one and the same church, really, any description of them in for there is but one church in this those times, who practised sprinkgreat towne, whereof at this time ling in opposition to immersion. Doctor Michelson is parson, an I have read, though I cannot reable and godly man. Before this collect where, of a scheme attriParliament was called, of this buted to Dr. Watts, that the Pænumerous congregation there was dobaptists should give up their not one to be named, man or wo- unconscious subject and the Antiman, that boggled at the Com- pædobaptists sacrifice their mode, mon-Prayers, or refused to re- certainly a most unequal barter. receive the sacrament kneeling, If Dr. Watts proposed such a com. the posture to which the Church of promise, it is evident that he had England (walking in the footsteps found very little, if any, scriptural of venerable Antiquity) hath by authority for infant baptism. I Act of Parliament injoyned all have heard, though I know not those which account it their hap- how to credit the story, that there piness to be called her children. are Protestant dissenting ministers, But since this magnified Reforma. who have arrived at that conclution was set on foot, this towne (as sion, and yet practise infantindeed most corporations, as we sprinkling. How such rite-makers, finde by experience, are nurse if such there be, can answer to ries of faction and rebellion,) is so their satisfaction, the question, filled with sectaries, especially " what mean you by this service?" or, "who hath required this at present Christian churches someyour hands ?" I am at a loss to thing in the light of families, where discover. BEREUS. Questions to Mr. Wright, on SIR, mutual understanding and good will, and constant reciprocal duties, are maintained? Were not all who believed the apostle's doctrine in primitive times baptised, and then added to the society of I observe in the extracts from those who had believed before Mr. Wright's journal of his tour them? Have we any evidence in Scotland (p. 52) that in the that any persons but those who Unitarian church at Glasgow, were thus initiated, were invited "the Lord's table was declared or permitted to join the first free" again, in the afternoon, churches in any of the ordinances? "the declaration of the freedom What reasons will the Unitarian of the Lord's table was publicly church at Glasgow allege, for de. made,” and “about 150 united viating from the plans pursued by in observing it." Mr. W. de- the apostles and primitive Chris scribes this as a great triumph tians in regard to communion ? of Christian liberality over bigotry, and narrow plans of disci. pline." Yours, &c. I highly esteem Mr. W. for much that he has written, and for his zealous labours as a missionaNow I am not sure that I ry: but I am afraid he is not quite understand this account; but aware, that even our party may I suppose it means, that every per- have a cant about liberality and son who happens to be present bigotry, which is much calculated when the Unitarians in Glasgow to keep us from a serious and canare going to eat the Lord's supper, did examination of the question— is at liberty, if he chuses, to join did Jesus or his apostles, lay down with them; without any questions a plan for the conduct of Christi. being asked, about what he be- ans in society as brethren, or did hieves, or what are his motives for they not? I am, Sir, so doing. If this be the case, I must say, that I do not consider AN UNITARIAN.. such an arrangement as any tri. P. S. I take this opportunity of umph of Christianity. I should saying, that consistency requires wish to ask Mr. W. a few plain of Unitarians, now they are exquestions, which, if he would an- cited to a becoming zeal for the swer through the medium of your propagation of apostolic doctrine, Repository, he may perhaps pro- that they should candidly examine duce some enlargement of my hi- the important questions proposed therto narrow ideas on this sub- in your last number by your corject. Were there not some per- respondent P. dated from Maidsons formerly called brethren, stone. Let me request the atten with whom, the apostle Paul would tion of Mr. Wright, and his coadnot allow the churches he planted jutors to this subject. to eat? Does not the general strain of the New Testament re VOL. VII. The Book-Worm. No. I, SIR, Feb. 1, 1812. As you have lately presented to your readers, "Extracts from New Publications," will you ac cept, occasionally, from a rambler among old books, some account of his discoveries ? The contrast may be not unamusing, and by the licence allowed in your miscellaneous department I shall pass, without scruple, From grave to gay, from sportive to severe. The articles in these papers shall be strictly confined to works which preceded the Era of Reviews, and of these to such only as I have an opportunity of consulting for myself. I begin with that work of generally acknowledged merit, "Reliquia Wottoniana or a Collection of Lives, Letters, Pocms; with Characters of Sundry Personages, and other incomparable pieces of language and art. By the curious pencil of the ever-memorable Sir Henry Wotton, Knt. late Provost of Eaton College. 4th ed. 1685." Sir H. Wotton is to be consider. ed rather as a statesman and an ac. complished scholar than a divine, though in his latter years he took deacon's orders, to comply with the statutes on becoming Provost of Eton College, where he had for an associate the ever-memora ble John Hales," whom he "used to call Bibliotheca Ambulans.” Wotton, like his friend and relation, Lord Bacon, ventured to explore the recesses of scholastic theology. The great philosopher, as you have shewn (M. Repos. ii. 535,) had a taste for Trinitarian Paradoxes. Wotton has "a me. ditation upon Christmas day: of the birth and pilgrimage of our Saviour Christ, on earth," to whom the whole is a direct address. Speaking of our Lord's birth, of Mary, he adds of all women the most blessed; and yet more blessed by being thy daughter and thy servant than thy mother." (p. 270.) In the same address, he thus describes the evidence on which he received the Deity of Christ. "How should we have known, how should we have apprehended thy eternal generation, if thou hadst not been pleased to vouchsafe a silly fisherman to lean on thy breast, and to inspire him to tell us from his boat that in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God." Wotton has the merit, whatever it be, of exhibiting that idea which Watts afterwards expand. ed so poetically into a throne of God burning with vengeance, only to be appeased by the rich drops of the blood of Jesus. I find the thought in a hymn which he com. municated to his friend and bio. grapher Isaac Walton. Being short and no unfair specimen of the transitions which abound in orthodox poetry, it is here quoted from p. 362. A Hymn to my God in a night of Behold me through thy beams of love |