question; but had he done so, he dering death as the great enemy would have found that all Unita- of mankind, and of ascribing the rians do not deny the 'miraculous victory over this enemy to God conception,' much less declare by Jesus Christ. He, the only Christ to have been fallible and begotten from the dead, by the peccable! power of his resurrection, hath abolished death and brought life. and immortality to light. This was the great salvation effected by Christ, of which the apostles. were witnesses and reporters. To them the Unitarian feels his grati tude and reverence to be. due, but he does higher honour to their and his Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

"4. Because they reject his expiatory sacrifice, intercession, &c." i. e. they reject Mr. Free. ston's interpretation of the word sacrifice, but they presume to think that they understand as well as he the meaning of the word, as applied to Christ in the New Testament, and in the true scriptural meaning, they gladly acknowledge the sacrifice of Christ. "7. Because Jesus Christ is so. Mr. Freeston betrays a strange ig- little the subject of their public. norance of their sentiments and preaching, in which they so eswritings in the assertion that they sentially differ from the practice. deny that there was any merit in of the apostles." Whence does the shedding of his blood.' His Mr. Freeston derive his knowet cetera they do in all probability ledge of the "public preaching". deny. of the Unitarians? Assuredly, 5. Because the important they do not preach Christ in his doctrines of regeneration, justifi- way, if he preach as unscriptu cation, divine influence, &c. are rally as he writes; but let him. rejected by them as enthusiastic." know that they do preach Christ Here is another &c. which it is highly probable the Unitarians do not believe; but as to the important doctrines specified, they do hold them in the sense in which they believe they are taught in Scripture, though they deny Mr. Freeston's sense of them as unscriptural, absurd and pernici

ous.

crucified, which Trinitarians do not and cannot, and further that they make it their just boast that their mode of preaching Christ is as congenial, as that of the self named orthodox is repulsive, to the plan of apostolic preaching. Hard fate of Socinians! If they keep back their doctrine, they do not preach Christ; if they bring it forward, they degrade him..

"6. Because I cannot see in what respects Jesus Christ is a "8. Because they appear to saviour, upon their scheme, any lay another foundation for pardon more than the apostics were." and eternal life than what the But though invisible to Mr. Free scriptures recommend." Where ston, it may yet be made clear does this appear? Unitarians lay that the Unitarians distinguish no other basis of salvation than Christ as honourably as they find the love and mercy of God, rehim distinguished in the scrip- vealed and confirmed by Christ. tures. The apostles have set They plead guilty indeed to the Unitarians the example of consi- charge of holding "repentance

and a good life" to be the indis- note love to God, hope of heaven pensable conditions of salvation; and the practice of virtue) than but if this offend Mr. Freeston, other Christians,-who shall dare he must bring his complaints to pronounce, unless he can read against the apostles, from whom the heart and be authorized to the Unitarians have learned to mount the seat of judgment? Our make the divine benevolence the author arrogates to himself this procuring cause, and well-doing prerogative of heaven, and inthe necessary means of eternal sinuates that "Socinians" are de life. ficient in "spiritual-mindedness”. -"9. Because I find the church and "morals," and asserts that on earth and the church in hea- they are "frequently fond of car ven, ascribe their salvation to the nal pleasure." Such slander, blood of the Redeemer." What which must proceed either from does Mr. Freeston mean by the malignity or wilful ignorance, blood of the Redeemer,' more can call forth no other answer from than his voluntary death, his offer. Unitarians than their pity and their ing up his life for the good of prayers. Let them however take mankind! If more be meant, let, care and not regard this mode of it be explained if no more be meant, then it will appear a curi ous reason for not being a "Socinian," that the scriptures teach the favourite doctrine of the "Socinians," that salvation is by the death of Christ, connected, as it was in fact, and is in scripture, with his resurrection.

calumny as necessary to the res puted orthodox system; for we know many of its advocates who would abhor the use of such poi soned weapons, and who look on such auxiliaries as Mr. Freeston as the greatest foes to the cause which they are officious to serve.

"11. Because the Divine Being "10. Because, as far as I am appears to withhold the sanction able to judge, the Socinians, in of his blessing from them, in that general, are more curious, critical their ministry is not succeeded to and speculative, than devotional, the conversion of the ungodly." spiritual and practical." This is Let us here only express our adan odd charge, and the man had miration that a minister of the need to be well satisfied of his own "New Connection of General Christian excellence who should Baptists" should set up numbers presume to prefer it. Curious, as a test of truth! indeed, the Socinians are in 12. Because the wisest and matters of religion, for they are best, the most prayerful and holy careful about truth; critical too men, as well as the most learned they are, for they make it their in all ages of the church, have practice to search the scriptures; held very different views of Chrisand speculative they may be, for tian doctrines, and rejected their's they look well to the tendencies as dangerous errors." This rea and consequences of pinions son we might suspect to be copied before they embrace them; but from a Roman Catholic Preser that they are less devotional or vative against Protestantism, if spiritual or practical (as far as we did not know that ignorance these words of Mr. Freeston's de- and presumption speak the same

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language in all sects. How would to the spirit of the gospel, which Mr. Freeston reply to this argu- is the spirit of truth, of meekness, ment in the mouth of a Catholic? of diffidence, of candour, of love He may commit the guidance and of a sound mind. of his conscience to a Doddridge, a Hall;" but the Catholic has a wiser and better, a more prayerful, a holier, and more learned guide, the holy Catholic church.'

"13. Because they who hold evangelical opinions are men after mine own heart, whose devotional views, tastes and habits are congenial to my own:" q. d. I am not a Socinian, because I am not a Socinian.

Mr. Freeston's reasons now run low, and the next is almost verbally the same as the 8th.

ART. IV. Imposition the Support of Religious Imposture and Heresy; and the Enemy of Revealed Truth.- A Sermon preached before the Congrega. tion of Protestant Dissenters, at Harlow, Essex, By Benja. min Penn Severn. 8vo. pp.32. Jones, Newgate Street. 1s.

Harlow is memorable in the history of Dissent, for having been the seat of the Synod, (as Mr. Burke denominated it,) or, in plain language, of the Baptist 14. Because, I dare not risk Association, which approved and my salvation on the foundation on recommended the late Mr. Robinwhich they hope for eternal life." son's popular tract, A Plan of "15. Because, I fear, I should Lectures on the Principles of Non find no rest for the soles of my feet, conformity. It appears from this till I sunk into absolute Deism, sermon that the village still retains and be finally lost." We shall the savour of Dissenting principles. astonish Mr. Freeston, probably, At the request of his congregation, by informing him that the great Mr. Severn has published one of champion of Christianity, whom the boldest defences of religious even the reputed orthodox profess to revere, Dr. Lardner, was a "Socinian!"

Under this head, we find more bold calumny. The Socinians' are charged with considering the epistles of the apostles, as the writ. ingsofother men,'and 'their college at Hackney' is said to have been 'given up, because most of their students were infidels.'

"In fine," says Mr. Freeston, "the direct tendency of the Socinian scheme seems the very re. verse of that of the holy scriptures:" and, in fine, we say that the spirit of such men as Mr. Freeston is diametrially opposite

liberty that we ever remember to have read. We cordially recommend it to the notice of our read. ers, as a sample, we would fain believe, of the reasoning and language of a numerous, respectable and growing sect, the Particular Baptists, on the subject of the rights of conscience. There is a peculiarity in the preacher's man ner, which is as entertaining as his arguments are convincing.

ART. V. A Portraiture of Primi. tive Quakerism; By William Penn With a Modern Sketch of Reputed Orthodoxy, and

exer

Real Intolerance, by Ratcliff excommunicating power is consistent Monthly Meeting. 8vo. pp. cised by that body 60. Cradock and Joy. 1812. with truth and freedom, with the By some unaccountable asso- principles of William Penn, and ciation of ideas we have been above all, with the doctrine and thinking, all the time we have spirit of the New Testament. employed upon this pamphlet, of the title of one of good Arch. bishop Tillotson's Sermons; viz. The folly and wickedness of honouring dead saints and persecuting living ones.

But the greater part of the publication consists of a tract of William Penn's, less known by Quakers and others than its merits deserve. We shall give the whole title of it, with an extract or two, How dangerous a possession is relating to its history, from the spiritual power! In the hands of Editor's preface. Our end will the magisterial Pharisee, the lord- be answered, if we excite our realy, papistical prelate, and the ders to procure, and to put into plain Friend, it is a certain, the hands of their neighbours, though not equal, instrument of this excellent manual of Quaker Unitarianism, in other words, of oppression. evangelical truth.

Here is an interesting record of the Ratcliff Monthly Meeting,' disowning Mr. Thomas Foster for simply' aiding in propagating' the favourite principles of William Penn. The Minutes' of the meeting are given by the editor, and from these it appears that the charges brought and proceeded on by this Quaker Inquisition, were that T. F. distributed some remarks on the Quakers' Yearly Epis. tle, which appeared in the number of our work for October 1810; that he did not deny being the author of certain publications under the name of Verax, intended to prove that the early Friends were not Tri. nitarians; and that his name stands as a member of the Unitarian Book Society. The Editor has appended to the pamphlet the preamble to the Rules of the Unitarian Society, and the Remarks as they were published in this magazine. Thus the reader is in possession of the case be. tween Mr. Foster and the Ratcliff Monthly Meeting, and may judge for himself how far the

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"The Sandy Foundation Shaken; or, those so generally believed and applauded Doctrines, of One God, subsisting in three distinct and separate Persons, the Impossibility of God's pardoning Sinners, without a plenary Satisfaction, the Justification of impure Persons by an imputative Righteousness, refuted, from the authority of Scripture Testimonies and right Reason. By William Penn, a Builder on that Foundation which cannot be moved. But to us there is but one God' the Father, of whom are all things. 1 Cor. viii. 6. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in merey. Micah vii. 18. ForI will not justify the wicked. Exod. xxiii. 7."

"The following justly celebrated Tract was first published by William Penn, in the year 1668, in London, and soon excited so much attention, that the author was committed to the Tower, by a warrant signed by Lord Arlington, the principal Secretary of State, on account of the offence it had given to some then at the helm of the church.'

"During Penn's imprisonment,

it appears he was kept under close him, for writing the Sandy Foun confinement, and even denied the dation Shaken. visits of his friends.' His biographer adds, 'But yet his enemies attained not their purpose; for when after some time his servant brought him word, that the Bishop of London (Dr. Henchman) was resolved he should either publicly recant, or die a prisoner, he made this reply: All is well; I wish they had told me so before, since the expecting of a release put a stop to some business. Thou mayest tell my father, who I know will ask thee, these words; that my prison shall be my grave, before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man; I have no need to fear. God will make amends for all. They are mistaken in me; I value not their threats nor resolutions; for they shall know I can weary out their malice and peevishness; and in me shall they all behold a resolution above fear; conscience above cruelty; and a baffle put to all their designs, by the spirit of patience, the companion of all the tribulated flock of the blessed Jesus, who is the author and finisher of the faith that overcomes the world, yea, death and hell too. Neither great nor good things were ever attained without loss and hardships. He that would reap and not labour, must faint with the wind, and perish in disappointments; but an hair of my head shall not fall, without the Providence of my Father, that is over all.'

In this Apology,' says his biographer, he so successfully vindicated himself, that soon after the publication of it, he was discharged from his imprisonment, which had been of about seven months continuance. However quickly Penn's release followed the publication of this Apology, it seems, by his own account, to have had nothing to do with the cause of his liberation. His persecutors, although professed Protestants, were not to be so easily appeased. Nor was that work, favourable as it may be thought, to the Sabellian hypothesis, likely to produce such an effect. The high eulogium it contains on Socinus, not only on account of his parts, wisdom, gravity, and just behaviour,' but as having had, in many things, a clearer prospect of religious truth, than most of his contemporaries,' would rather serve to inflame, than allay, the intolerant spirit of such men.

1

"During this close imprisonment, the loud and general clamours against him reached Penn's ears, or eyes, and induced him to write a small tract which he called an Apology for the former, not with an intention of recanting any of those doctrines, which he had so recently professed to lay down, on the immoveable foundations of scripture and right reason, but to clear himwelf from the aspersions cast upon

"That it was not to their indulgence Penn was indebted for his release, but to the laudable interposition of the Duke of York, afterwards James the Second, appears by a letter of Penn's, dated Oct. 24, 1688, to W. Popple, Esq. in reply to a most friendly epistle from him, in which Penn says, "To this let me add the relation my father (that is, Admiral Penn, who died Sept. 16, 1670,) had to this king's service, his particular favour, in getting me released out of the Tower of London, in 1669, my father's humble request to him, upon his deatir-bed, to protect me from the inconveniences and troubles my persuasion might expose me to, and his friendly promise to do it, and exact performance of it, from the moment I addressed myself to him. See his Works, vol. i. p. 131 to 139, in which these interesting letters are inserted."