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sition of the sense of them set forth niated and highly valuable man by ecclesiastical authority, are two has "wandered to the dedistinct, not to say opposite, con- vious passage where Christiansiderations and it would have ity itself becomes lost from the been happy if our REFORMERS view?" What infallibility belongs and if Dr. Marsh had discriminat to the present Margaret Professor ed between them. The history of of Divinity that he should prothe origin, progress and establish- nounce so unhesitating and so ment of confessions of faith, is a unfavourable a decision? As the curious and very interesting topic. advocate of the Bible, Mr. LanOur limits oblige us to refer, on caster will be remembered by a this head, to that masterly per- far distant posterity; and his Chrisformance the Confessional, which, tianity, both speculative and pracwe trust, the present disquisitions tical, may, not improbably stand of the Margaret Professor will the test of a comparison with that occasion to be more generally of his (inconsiderate, shall we say, read. The reformers in Germany or unkind?) accuser. Our author and Switzerland drew up articles does well to "descend from" an of their belief in consequence of "allegory" in which Christian their adversaries reproaching them Charity "becomes lost" from his with having discarded the peculi- sight. ar doctrines of Christianity. In England the Reformation proceeded under the jealous eye of the reigning sovereigns, who, as is well known, transferred to Westminster the infallibility which they denied to the see of Rome. We thus perceive that subscription to creeds among protestants had its rise in secular motives, and in human passions of not the most evangelical complexion: and we learn from the several controversies which it has produced that, scripturally, and agreeably to the genius and principles of our separation from the Papal church, it cannot be defended.

24. "If the liturgy is not wanted, why do churchmen now object to the religious instruction of Mr. Lancaster? Mr. Lancaster adopts the Bible, and the Bible alone."

Dr. M. is consistent with him self in introducing the case of Mr. Lancaster, on which we have

29, 30. He acknowledges that the operations of the Bible Society abroad" are not only unobjection. able, but highly laudable." add, that these are its most essential and useful effects, and, as may easily be supposed, its costliest. The extent and magnitude of the labours of the society in this field, are even such as to require the united pecuniary aid of all classes of Christians. Its services, however, are not confined to foreign nations. Were it inactive at home, it might be reproached, plausibly enough, perhaps justly, with bestowing on strangers the whole of that attention a share in

which is needed by numbers of our countrymen.

32. "Protestants of every description, however various and even opposite in their opinions, claim severally for themselves the honour of deducing from the Bible irrefragable and indubitable

already offered, and perhaps may consequences."

again offer, an opinion. But This has the appearance of a wherefore subjoin that this calum sneer on the part of Dr. Marsh.

The fact and the right, neverthe- the dissentions which followed, less are such as he describes. It is would either have been prevented characteristic of a real Protestant or considerably mitigated. Those to make and exercise this claim. feuds arose, in truth, from another Nor are we ignorant of the use to cause and from the opposite quarwhich Catholics apply it: more ter. consistent than the Margaret Professor, they hence infer the necess. ity of a living, infallible interpre

ter.

33.

"Men become so enamoured of the Protestant in the abstract, that they abstract themselves from the Protestantism by law established."

Have we now a treacherous prince or a tyrannizing primate? Or where shall we discover in these united kingdoms the courts of Star Chamber and High Commission?

In confirmation of his opinion, Dr. M. makes an extract from Bishop Beveridge's Sermon on An unexpected specimen this the excellency and usefulness of the figure paranomasia! Our of the Common Prayer. But if author's play on the noun abstract episcopal names can weigh any and the verb abstract, may be thing in this discussion, those of edifying enough to some student Tillotson and Secker are assuredly in composition. As to the mat- important. Now our author con ter of this sentence, surely, if it be cedes (note, p. 46) that these apthe essence of Protestantism to de-parently justify the practice of the duce its conclusions immediately modern Bible Society: and he had from the Bible, its establishment before admitted (8) that the argu by law is something extrinsic from ments for the distribution of the its nature. Science and Protes- Bible alone are apparently in the tantism and Religion, are Science, spirit of true Protestantism. Protestantism and Religion still, whether they have or have not this establishment.

To illustrate the assertion that the sectaries under the Common. wealth were as numerous as the 33. The history which Dr. interpretations of the Bible were Marsh judges proper to give of various, the writer of the Inquiry the abolition of the liturgy, dur- adduces a passage from Dryden's ing the civil wars in the last cen- Religio Laici. Dryden was a contury but one, he may possibly vert to popery. In his Hind and have inserted in consequence of Panther, says Johnson," he rehis own fears at any rate, it is proaches the reformers with want not ill calculated to alarm some of unity; but is weak enough to classes of his readers.

But whatever he may imagine, or wish others to imagine, there is a most important difference between the state of parties, both political and religious, under the Stewarts and their situation at the present day and if in the reign of Charles I. the same zeal had been employed for diffusing the Bible which exists in that of George III.

* This sermon "had passed through the twenty-eighth edition in 1738." The Bishop's writings were numerous, rather weak." We quote from Noble's continuation of Granger, vol. ii. 92, 93. An anecdote is there given of which we leave the application to our readers. "When Dr. Beveridge, whilst Prebendary of Canterbury, objected to reading contrary to a brief in the cathedral, as the Rubric,' Tillotson replied,' Charity is above Rubrics," "

ask, why, since we see without Charles the First. We think that knowing how, we may not have he exaggerates the evil. But,

an infallible judge without know. ing where?" Our readers will not overlook the FACT that such an author is gravely quoted upon the subject of the Bible Society by a Professor of Divinity in an English university.

47. Professor Marsh perceives features of resemblance between the Bible Society and the Assembly of Divines: one of them he represents in the following sen

tence:

"When the Assembly of Divines was instituted for the express purpose of advancing cause of religion, it was honoured with the the names of three bishops and two heads of houses in Cam bridge."

He adds, in a note,

"I must not, however, neglect to mention that the Margaret Professor was a member of this assembly."

For such a man as our author, this is, really, very puerile. But he proceeds to say of the assembly,

48. "It consisted chiefly of Calvinists: and the Calvinistic clergy of the church of England are generally mem bers of the modern society. man who adopts the doctrines of Calvin cannot be zealously attached to our English Liturgy."

2

Now a

Are the Calvinistic members and ministers then of the church of England less attached to the Common Prayer book and more attached to the Bible than their Arminian brethren of the same communion 2.

certainly, the opponents of Dr. Marsh and Dr. Marsh himself will do well to imitate the style and temper of Mr. Vansittart's

Letter.

50-53. In the growth of the Bible Society and in Mr. Whit. bread's Speech at Bedford, the Margaret Professor beholds a preparation for the repeal of the Test Act. Here therefore he avows a political motive of his opposi tion: for no man will pretend that the Test laws are religious institutions. If Dr. M. be, in good earnest, alarmed for their repeal, his judgment is in a state which no argument of our's can affect.

55-63. This writer argues up→ on the mistaken principle that in the Bible Society no sacrifice is made, no accommodation shewn, Yet we believe that the Scotch except on the part of churchmen. Presbyterians and many of our English Dissenters, in becoming members of this association, virtu ally agree to make similar sacrifi. ces, with the view of better promoting the distribution of the Scriptures: they likewise have their confessions and their cate. chisms, to which, we can assure the Professor, they are sufficiently attached. Where then is the truth of his statements or the justness of his reasonings? Will he say that the Bible, when read without note or comment, is less favourable to episcopacy than to nonconformity and Presbyterianism?

49. He complains of the into lerant and persecuting spirit fre- 62. the church is undermineds quently displayed in the writings while the conventicle remains entire.” and speeches of the advocates of Our preceding observations are the modern society: and here, a reply to this assertion. Dr. again, he discovers a correspond- Marsh's reiterated use of the word ence with the language holden by conventicle, which he cannot but the Calvinists in the reign of know to be glaringly incorrect,

will not weaken the suspicion of to the dissenter, popularity to the

his being actuated by political and party views.

70, 71.-"there are many churchmen, who are aware of the dangers of this the Bible] society, and who would not have become members of it when

first established, yet are of opinion that it is now the best policy to join it."

They are governed, we persuade ourselves, by a higher motive. We are ill satisfied to hear of policy, where the religious duty of circu lating the Bible is concerned. Dr. Marsh's language, however, is unequivocal, and clearly informs us which of these ideas is predomi

nant in his mind.

73." the remedy now applied in the co-operation of churchmen with Dissenters, though it is considered as effectual, is really worse than the disease."

Surely, if, as this writer is pleased to intimate, the Bible So. ciety may be converted into a political engine, the direction and and the use of it must, in his judg. ment, be rendered safe by a preponderance of churchmen among its members.

76, 77. "Were it necessary, I could appeal to dissenting families in this town, [Cambridge) who themselves would bear witness that so far from dreading a contagion, from their intercourse, I freely communicate the contributions which I can spare, without the smallest regard to religious distinction."

We doubt not the sincerity and justness of this appeal, and shall not the greater gift of the word of life" be communicated to "dis senting families" by the hands of Dr. Marsh? Shall not his charity be the bond of perfectness?

churchman, and interest to the politi

cian, which is useful at all times, and especially at the approach of a general election.'

This concluding sentence, little short of a libel on the Bible soci. ety, fully developes the object of the Margaret Professor. Yet, in the name of common charity and common sense, what power does the society give to the dissenter except that of doing good on an extended scale? What popularity to the churchman if, for joining this association, he is accused of the Sprys and the Marshes of the disaffection by the Wordsworths, day Or what interest to the pn. litician, even on the eve of "a general election," while it is alike patronized by ministerialists and by oppositionists, by Mr. Perce val and Mr. Whitbread?

N.

ART. IV.-The Ameliorated Con▴ dition of the Poor, one Benefit derived to the World from Christianity. Considered in A Discourse delivered at the Chapel, in Trim Street, Bath, on Sun day, Dec. 23, 1810. By Joseph Hunter, 8vo. pp. 25, 1s. 6d. Bath printed and sold.

On the day on which this sermon was preached it appears that collections are made at the several places of worship throughout the city of Bath, for the support of the General Hospital. This fact furnishes Mr. Hunter with an illustration of the philanthropic ge nius and merciful tendency of the Christian religion, which he presses both as an argument of its truth, and as a motive to charity in the breasts of its professors. The ser, ! mon deserves to be circulated be

80. "The society, in its present form, has advantages which not every member will abandon. Though its splendour is derived from the operations abroad, its influence depends on the operations at home. It there provides for temporal as yond the limits to which the au well as spiritual wants. It gives power thor has modestly confined it.

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is greatly lamented by very many serious, intelligent and rational Christians among us, who are at the same time no less opposed to other extremes of Unitarianism.

I fear, that I have already wea. ried you, but, my dear Sir, you must permit me to say, that your I really cannot imagine, what account of the progress of Unita- your friend could mean by his rianism in our Northern and Convention of Massachusetts and Southern States is altogether in Connecticut ministers, in which on correct. In our own neighbour. a single day, one hundred minis. hood, with the exception of those ters declared themselves converts I have mentioned, and, perhaps, to the "new doctrine" !!! As you one clergyman about forty miles candidly acknowledge the doctrine from Boston, I know of no one, to be new, so, I am sure, must whom you could call an Unitari- have been the convention that an. In the western parts of Mas adopted it. The ministers of Con sachusetts they are almost altoge- necticut, as far as I know, never ther Calvinists, or, as they term meet in Convention with those of themselves, Hopkinsian Calvinists, Massachusetts. They are memwho carry their system to great bers of a different state; the con. extremes, and are dissatisfied with stitution of their churches very every thing that falls below their different ;-that of Connecticut, standard. This is a sect, formed almost as rigidly Presbyterian as chiefly upon the system of the ce- the Kirk of Scotland, and that lebrated Dr. Edwards, and they of Massachusetts, Independant. are named from Dr. Hopkins, If ever such a convention took once a minister of Newport, who place, it could only have been first published the system. They with the Calvinists of Connecticut compose a numerous class of and their no less Calvinistic Christians in Rhode Island, New neighbours of the western parts of Hampshire and Vermont, and our state. But if such a body as are thought by many to be in creasing.

As for Connecticut, nothing else but Calvinism, in a greater or less degree, can flourish there. You may see an example of this in a pamphlet, which Mr.

this, who, before, would hardly acknowledge that man to be a Christian, who did not fully unite in all their articles of faith, could in ONE DAY, become converts to Unitarianism, then surely the age of miracles has not ceased; a new was also kind enough to lend day of Pentecost has been granted me, respecting the dismission of us, and the "new doctrine," after an able, pious and intelligent mi- the establishment of Christianity, nister, (Mr. Abbot) from his peo- for more than eighteen hundred ple, on account of some differences years, has by a sudden conversion, of opinion. The intolerant spirit, at last made progress*. that prevails in this, as well as in some other parts of New England,

* This convention of the Connecticut

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