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FOUR SERMONS

ON

C&rtett'an $eace an& 3Hmtp,
WITH A
PASTORAL ADDRESS
TO THE CONGREGATION AT STOURBRIDGE,

BY THE REV. B. CARPENTER.
# NE QUID NIM1S.
Mtya "BtShiov, /xeycc Kanov.
SECOND EDITION.
WITH NOTES AND ANECDOTES.

BIRMINGHAM,
PRINTED AND SOLD BY JAMES BELCHER AND SON:
SOLD ALSO BY THE AUTHOR.
181G.

Price Two Shillings and Six-pence.

TO
THE GLORY OF GODy
TO THE HONOR OF CHRIST,
AJtD TO THE CAUSE OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY^
THESE DISCOURSES ARE DEDICATED:
BY
A CREATURE OF GOD,
A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST, AND
A BROTHER OF ALL THOSE WHO CALL JESUS
LORD..

Stourbridge, March 25, 1816.

SERMONS

ON

CHRISTIAN PEACE AND UNITY.

SERMON I.

Ephesians iv. 3.
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace.

IT is not an unity of sentiments which the
Apostle here recommends, for this he knew was
impossible, but an unity of spirit. Indeed in the
book of Acts we read, " that the multitude of them
that believed were of one heart and of one soul;"
but we do not read that they were of one mind.
And soon after this period we find that some di
visions and animosities crept into the Christian
church. Now what was it which dissolved the
unity of the spirit and broke the bond of peace,
in the days of the Apostle? and what is it which
produces the same effect in the present day ? It
B

2

is in one word, Pride. It is the spirit of Pride.
We cannot bear that others should call in question
our good sense, our judgment, our infallibility. We
cannot endure with meekness and forbearance that
they should presume to think differently from us.
It is this unhallowed spirit of pride which, from
the days of the Apostle to the present day, has
destroyed the unity of the spirit and broken the
bond of peace ; which has led Christians to hate
and calumniate, " to bite and devour," to persecute
and destroy one another.
If we examine the state of things amongst
Christians ; or if we closely examine our own
hearts, perhaps we shall find that the Pope of Rome
is not the only Pope to be found in the Church of
Christ. And if it was necessary to enforce chris
tian peace and unity in the Apostolic age, when
the bond of union was rivetted by the iron hand
of persecution, it is still more necessary to enforce
this spirit in our own age and nation, where full
liberty is granted to profess and propagate our
sentiments, and when religious sects and denomina
tions have increased without end.
In discoursing on the apostolic exhortation in
the text, I purpose —
I. To shew that men never will think alike on
religious subjects.
11. That it is. not desirable they should.

III. That they do think alike on the most
important articles, and —
IV. That these considerations are sufficient to
induce them to keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace.
I. I am to shew that men, or (confining our
view to the Christian World) that christians never
will think alike on religious subjects.
Whether we make use of reason or ridicule ;
whether we adopt gentle or severe methods; whe
ther we say in the spirit of pride, " you shall not
presume to think differently from us," or in the
spirit of meekness and benevolence, " O that you
could think as we do in the concerns of religion :"
I say whatever method we make use of, we shall
never lead christians to be of one mind.
A sensible and acute Writer on Ecclesiastical
History has observed, " that in order to have persons
think alike, they must either possess more light
or less liberty." More light we cannot expect than
what the Gospel of Christ has already afforded us,
and less liberty we cannot desire.
Let those who wish to have all Christians think
alike go into Spain or Portugal; there they will
find uniformity of sentiment, but a most degrading
uniformity. There they will find Christians who
are of one mind ; but whether they are of one
heart and of one soul is a different question. There
b 2

4

they will find that the Inhabitants think alike, or
rather that they do not think a:t all', but believe as
Uiey are taught by their priests, or by 'the Pope,
their supposed infallible Head.
The fact is, that if men think at all for them
selves, they will think- differently. You may pre
sent their acting1; you may, though with more
difficulty, prevent their speaking: but yoti cannot
prevent itheir thinking. The body may be -confined
in the dark and dreary dungeon of the Inquisition,
but the soul cannot be confined. That intelligent
and active Principle, which proceeded from the
inspiration of the Almighty, will still range free
and unconfined from one subject to another, from
one Country to another, and from one World to
another. It is recorded of Charles V. Emperor qf Ger
many, who persecuted the Protestants for many
years, that wben he resigned his Crown and retired
to a Monastery, he employed his leisure hours in
endeavouring to make a number of watches and
clocks go alike. But having found, after repeated
trials, that he could not make any two of them
keep the same time, lie reflected, with a mixture
of regret and surprise, on bis folly, in having be
stowed so much labour on the more vjin attempt of
bringing' matikin*! to an uniformity of sentiment
oh the mysterious doctrines of religion. And well

might he reflect on his folly, for if he could not,
with all his contrivance and labour, keep in exact
time two pieces of mechanism formed by the art of
man, how could he expect to keep in exact unison
the free and uncontroulable spirits of men ? Man
kind never have thought and never will think alike;
and the attempt to make them do this is vain and
foolish and sinful.
No method can be tried for this purpose which
has not been already tried and found unsuccessful.
Indeed as long as the Scriptures lie open to' the
inspection of all Christians, the variety of subjects
which they contain ; their being written in a lan
guage different from ours, and in a country where
the manners and customs are different from our own;
the high and mysterious nature of some doctrines
which they may contain, and the obscure manner
in which these are revealed, will always give rise
to different sentiments concerning the contents of
the sacred Volume. This will be the case, with
whatever care and diligenee persons may search the
Scriptures, and however sincere and ardent their
desire to become acquainted with the truth as it is
in Jesus. St. Peter has declared respecting the writings of
his fellow Apostle Paul, " that in his Epistles there
are some things difficult and hard to be understood,
which the ignorant and unstable wrest, as they do
»3

the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
But there are some persons who appear to regard
themselves as wiser than the Apostle Peter.. They
seem to think that there is nothing difficult and
hard to be understood in the writings of ;the Apostle
Paul. They believe that the doctrines of thrt
original guilt of man; Jhe election of a certain
number of persons to eternal life. ; the particular
redemption of such by the death of Christ ; the
irresistible grace of God, and (he final perseverance
of the saints, which are called the five points of
Calvinism, together with the union of three persons
in (he Godhead-Whey think that these doctrines
are so plainly revealed in the Epistles of St. Paul,
that he who runs may read them. But the deep
and mysterious nature of these doctrines, supposing
they are revealed, is such, that persons of the
most accurate judgment, the greatest learning and
the most pious dispositions will always entertain
different opinions concerning them. To this va
riety of matter contained in the holy Scriptures,-
to this mysterious nature of some doctrines, and to,
the obscure manner in which they are mentioned,
may be added, that diversity which prevails in the
mental faculties of different persons, the different
manner in which they have been educated, and!
the numerous prejudices to which they are liable.
These considerations, together with the experience

of all past ages, and our own observation oh the
present age, serve to establish, and are abundantly
sufficient, to establish the position I laid down, that
Christians never will think alike on religious doc
trines. And — •
U. It is not desirable that they should.
The bigot who is violently attached to his own
System or his own party ; and the zealot who will
compass sea and land to make one proselyte, will
not readily allow this ; but I trust that it will be
no difficult matter to establish the truth of the
assertion, ptjr— •
1. If it were necessary to salvation, or if > it
were at all desirable that men should think alike
on religious subjects, the All-wise and Merciful
Creator would have ordered things differently from
what He has done. He would either have formed
the minds of all men alike, or else have revealed
religious doctrines so plainly that there would be
no room for mistakes ; but He has done neither of
these. We may therefore conclude that He intended
mankind should entertain a diversity of sentiment.
And why should we endeavour or wish to alter that
constitution of things which God has established ?
Why should we riot rather acquiesce in what He has
appointed? Why should we not say with humble
and adoring thoughts, as the Apostle Paul did re
specting: the Jews and Gentiles? " For God bath

8

concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have
mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of
the wisdom and knowledge of God ! How unsearch
able are his judgments and his ways past finding
out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord,
or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath given
to Him,* and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all
things ; to whom be glory for ever."
2. My second argument, that it is not desirable
that all men should think alike is this, that as a
variety in the natural World is pleasing, so also is
a variety in the moral World.
I am not an advocate for those opinions which
are dishonourable to God or injurious to man. What
we deem such, we ought in the spirit of meekness
to oppose. But these excepted, I maintain that a
variety in the moral creation of God is pleasing.
We admire that diversity which is found in the
vegetable creation, in the different forms and colours
of Flowers and Herbs and Trees. We are pleased
with that variety which prevails among the Beasts
of the field and the Birds of the air. We admire
that wonderful diversity which is found in the hu
man race, so that of nearly a thousand millions
which inhabit the Earth, not two faces are found
exactly alike. We adore the Former of man, and
are grateful for his Wisdom and Goodness, whilst

we view that pleasing and useful variety which is
found in the tempers, the inclinations and tastes of
flien with respect to the pursuits of this life. And
•why should we not admire and be pleased with that
•variety which prevails in the religious sentiments
and opinions of Mankind?
Qn, a. late journey 1 heard Ministers of different
denominations, and I heard something from each
of them with which I was pleased and from which I
•could be edified. I was particularly pleased at
Bristol (a City exemplary fer attendance on public
worship) whilst going to an evening Lecture, to see
the great number of people whom I met or who
overtook me in going to different places of religious
worship: — some to the Established Churches; some
to the Methodist; others to the Independent; and
others again to the Baptist Meetings.. How pleas
ing- and animating the thought ! — These persons are
all going to worship the same God, through the
same Mediator. They are all going to partake of
that bread which cometh down from Heaven, and to
drink of the same Fountain of Living Waters',
though at different streams. They are all going to
receive instruction or consolation or salutary reproof.
And shall the spirit of union be dissolved ? shall the
bond of peace be broken amongst these Christians
because they drink of the living waters of the Gos
pel at different streams? Having one common Ad«

10
versary to encounter, shall they forget their warfare
against him and prove hostile to each other?
What should we think of an army of soldiers,
enlisted under the same Leader and fighting under
the same Standard, who quarrelled with one another
because they did not belong to the same corps, and
instead of engaging the common enemy, turning
their arms against each other ?
Now all Christians are engaged in the same holy
war. They all constitute one grand Army under
one glorious Leader, even Jesus the great Captain of
their Salvation. They are divided into different
Corps, and have their several posts assigned them by
their all-conquering Leader.
The Established Church which holds forth the
grand doctrines of the Christian Religion to every
parish in the Kingdom may be considered as holding
the first and most distinguished part. The Method
ists and the several Sects of Dissenters may be
considered as different bodies, which are all of them
useful in their several Stations. Only let them
obey their leader, only let them act in concert, and
" fight the good fight of faith" with that zeal
and ardour which their cause demands, and most
assuredly they will prove successful.
3. The diversity of sentiment amongst Christi
ans has produced and doth produce seveial good ef
fects.

II

The- different Denominations of Christians are
watchful over each other, if not with a godly, at
least with a useful jealousy. They provoke one an
other, if not to love, at least to good works, which
are profitable unto men. Christians are more care
ful to maintain an unblamable conduct: that they
may not bring a reproach upon that denomination,
or that society to which they belong. And the
opposition which they meet with from those who
are of a different persuasion keeps them from
stagnation, and serves to awaken and increase their
zeal. Further. What proof have we that the Scrip
tures were not altered and corrupted during the
first ages of the Church by some artful and zealous
bigots? The principal proof is this, that Christians
being of different sentiments would watch over each
other and have sounded the alarm, if any such
alteration had taken place. So that we have reason
to believe that only one interpolation has been
introduced into the Sacred Writings : and that is
the passage in 1 John v. 7. which is not to be found
in any ancient MS. Alterations might easily have
been made in the Scriptures, when the copies were
scarce and in the hands of very few persons. But
that veneration in which they were held by the
first Christians, and their watchfulness over each
other would prevent their corrupting the Word of

12

God; and now, since the art of printing has been
invented, no alteration can take place..
-j. Once more. A diversity of sentiment lays a
foundation for and improves one of th&. noblest of
all virtues. I mean Christian charity and candour.
If there were no injories, what room could there
be for the exercise of forgiveness ? If there were
no trials, what foundation would be laid for patience
and resignation ? And if all Christians thought
alike, what room could there be for candour ? for:
that charity which- never faileth, though faith and
hope will hereafter cease.
Thus I believe that I have established the two
first positions which I laid down, that Christians
will never think alike, and that it is not desirable
they should. Here let us pause and reflect upon
what has been advanced. And surely enough, has
been said to convince us that the Great and All-wise*
Creator has ordered all things in number, weight
and measure, that his ways are upright and his
works perfect.
Though: he has fashioned the hearts of men
alike, in forming them rational beings, yet notwith
standing this general resemblance, how great the'
diversity which prevails in their faculties, their dis
positions and their way of thinking: on this account
they are influenced by different motives. And when
we peruse the revealed will of God, we find a variety ¦

13

of motives adapted to the different feelings of man
kind, and we conclude that the God of nature is
the same Being with the God of grace, equally
consistent, uniform, wise and good in both. O
that men would praise the Lord for his goodness
and for his wonderful works unto the children of
men. Enough also has been said to induce us
to look with a friendly eye upon all our fellow
creatures, by whatever names they are distinguished.
Therefore be kindly affectioned one towards another
with brotherly love.
Glory to God in the highest: on earth Peace:
Good-will towards men. And may the Peace of God
which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts
and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.

END OF SERMON I.

SERMON II.

Ephesi ans iv. 3.
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace.

THE worthy and respectable Dr. Law, Bishop
of Carlisle, mentions " Two circumstances jn which
the present are greatly preferable to former times.
One is, that we have certain virtues now in greater
perfection, particularly more of true charity or uni
versal benevolence, than ever since the time of
primitive Christianity : and the other, that we live
under the mildest, the most indulgent of all govern
ments, and enjoy the blessing of liberty in that
perfection which has been unknown to former ages,
and is so still to most other Nations."
These considerations, in the first place, call for
our most grateful acknowledgments to the Fountain
of all good, and to the great Head and Governor of
his church ; and in the next place, to the mild and
equitable government under which we possess the
full liberty of worshipping God agreeably to the
dictates of our consciences.
c2

w

But though we are blessed with a government
which affords civil and religious liberty, and with
a Church Establishment which is' tolerant, I appre
hend there is much individual bigotry and intoler
ance amongst us. And as long as men are frail
and ignorant and prejudiced, I am afraid that a con
siderable portion of this unhallowed spirit will con
tinue to prevail. Yet still.it is our duty as Christi
ans to recommend to others a spirit of charity and
peace, and especially to cherish this blessed spirit
in our own: breasts. Persuaded that this is, in a
more peculiar manner, the duty of the Ministers
of the Gospel of peace, I have been enforcing upon
'you the exhortation of the Apostle Paul to the
Ephesians, Endeavouring to keep the /unity of the
spirit in the bond of peace. In discoursing on
these words I proposed to shew —
I. That Christians never will think alike on
religious subject's.
II. That it is not desirable they should.
III. That they do think alike on the most
important articles, and—
IV. That these considerations are sufficient to
induce them to keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace.
Having proved and illustrated the two first of
these heads', I am now to shew — v

17

III. That Christians do think alike on the
most important articles of religion. They agree in
their belief of those truths which are of the greatest
moment, and their difference in other points is not
so great as they are ready to imagine.
After the Apostle had recommended christian
unity and peace, hs adds, " There is one body and
one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of
your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One
God and Father of all, who is above all and through
all and in you all." These verses may be thus
paraphrased : endeavour to keep your hearts united
to one another by the bond of a firm and lasting
peace. Because there is one body, consisting of
both Jews and Gentiles, who have all been made
partakers of the same spirit, and are called as Chris
tians to the same hope of eternal life and glory.
It is one and the same Lord Jesus Christ who is
your head and Saviour. It is one and the same
faith which, as Christians, you have all been taught:
one and the same baptism, in the name of Father,
Son and Holy Spirit, which you have all received*
It is one and the same God in whom you have all
believed; even Him who is the Father of angels
and men; who is over all, Supreme in majesty,
perfection and dominion; even above him who is
the one Lord of Christians ; by whom He made the
World and gathered his Church. Who is through
«3

IS
all; filling all things with his presence and over
ruling them by his Providence ; and who is in you
all by the principles of truth, the habits of virtue
and the influences of his Spirit.
How is it possible that christian unity and peace
could be more powerfully enforced than by those
considerations which the Apostle here mentions ?
And how is it possible that Christians could have
been so little influenced by them? For most assured
ly what St. Paul has pointed out are the principal
and most important articles of the christian faith.
Again. There is often a difference among
Christians in name only and not in reality. Take
the following instances as an illustration of this:
Some maintain that we are saved by faith and others
¦by works. But what is that faith of which the
former speak ? Why certainly a faith which pro-'
duces the peaceable fruits of righteousness. And
what are those works by which the others say that
we are justified ? Undoubtedly those works which
proceed from a true and genuine faith. So that
they both mean exactly the same thing. And thus
it is that the apparent contrary declarations of the
Apostles Paul and James are easily reconciled.
Some Christians lay great stress on the doc
trine of the final perseverance of the saints ; or that
he who is once a child of God will always continue
such through the influences of the Holy Spirit. But

19

then they allow that he must use his own endeavours.
Whilst they who call iu question the truth of this
doctrine maintain that those who work out their
salvation with fear and trembling will be enabled,
by the grace of God, to persevere unto the end ;
so that there is very little difference betwixt them.
They who believe in the immediate influence of
the Spirit of God on the mind of man, and those
who deny this doctrine, do not differ so much as
we may at first imagine: for they "both agree in
ascribing whatever is good in us to the agency of
God. The former by his direct influence on the
Soul (which appears to me the scriptural doctrine)
and the other by his providence so ordering events
as to assist us in the discharge of our duty.
And even those who are in the most opposite
extremes of religious doctrine sometimes meet in
their opinions. Thus the high Calvinists who main
tain that all the actions of men are fore-ordained by
God, and that Man is not a free agent, exactly
agree with many who are esteemed most wide in
their sentiments, and who believe in the necessity of
all human actions.
And when Christians come to converse with
each other calmly and dispassionately on their
different opinions, they find that the difference is
jkot so great as they apprehended. Sometimes in*
deed, through ignorance, they mistake, and some-

20

times through an uncharitable spirit, they misrepre
sent each other's sentiments. Of which take tht
following instance :
1 know it has been said, that neither my worthy
Colleague, Mr. Scott, nor myself, believe that Christ
is the Son of God. We are indeed very properly
classed together; for no two Ministers preaching
in the same place were ever more united in senti
ment and affection than my excellent Brother and
myself. But with respect to the charge brought
against us, it must have proceeded from ignorance ;
for all who attend our ministry know that in every
religious service, we either directly or indirectly
profess our faith in Christ as the Son of God and
the Saviour cf men.
Indeed I have seldom been afraid or ashamed of
making an open avowal of my sentiments from thc
Pulpit, or of defending them from the Press. I
have maintained not only those two grand principles
of the christian faith, that there is one God thc
Father, of whom are all things ; and one Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom are all things ; but also three other
doctrines which I deem of importance: viz. the
©re-existence and divine, though derived, nature of
Christ ; the doctrine of the atonement (though not
satisfaction) by the death of Christ ; and the ne
cessity of divine influences in concurrence with oBr
own endeavours.

21

But I have shunned that zeal which will never
'permit persons to rest themselves, nor suffer others
to rest whilst there are any who think differently
from them->— that proselyting, that mischievous, that
accursed zeal which will adopt every method, fair
or unfair, to accomplish its purposes. I call it an
accursed zeal, for if the sin of Achan be called an
accursed thing because it troubled the camp of Is
rael, well may this proselyting zeal be called an
accursed thing, for it has troubled the Church of
Christ. I admire the conduct of the Quakers in this
respect. They fairly and openly lay their principles
before their christian brethren and leave them to
judge for themselves, but discover no great zeal for
making proselytes. Thus would I act.
I must however allow that there is a real differ
ence in the religious sentiments of Christians. There
is a considerable difference between those who be
lieve that Christ is the self-existent Jehovah, arid
those who think that he is only a Man of the same
nature with ourselves. Whilst all Unitarians regard
the Father as the sole object of their supreme wor
ship, and the Trinitarians think that the Father,
Son and Holy Spirit are entitled to equal adoration,
they cannot well worship together in the same House
of Prayer. The latter indeed say, and perhaps say
truly, that they worship but one God. Yet whilst

22

ihey address three distinct Persons by three different
Names, we think this has a tendency to confuse and
distract the mind respecting the great object of wor
ship. But if the Trinitarians and Unitarians cannot
go up together to the same Temple, they may still
be of one heart and of one mind in the sincerity of
their devotion to God and in their benevolence and
kindness towards each other.
For my paTt, I shall never regard the Trinitarians
as Idolators, nor the Socinians as$ -Unbelievers, but
persuaded that the former adopt their system under
the idea that they are obeying the exhortation of
our Lord, " that all men should honour the Son even
as they honour the Father," and the latter theirs
from a regard to that declaration of Jehovah, " I
will not give my glory to another," I shall with the
utmost readiness hold out to both the right hand of
fellowship, if they choose to accept of it. But it is
no uncommon thing, both in politics and in religion,
for persons who are of the middle party to be re
garded with a suspicious or. an evil eye by those
bigots who belong to the two opposite extremes.
A considerable controversy has arisen in the
church of Christ respecting the subjects and the mode
of Baptism; and amidst the multiplicity of religious
Sects I rather wonder that some one has not arisen to
maintain that Baptism is not to be administered when
Nations are once christianized ; for I think it cannot

23

be clearly proved from the words of our Lord that it
was to continue after that period. The principal
arguments for the perpetuity of this ordinance and
for infant Baptism arise from the practice of the
primitive Church, from its being an initiatory ordi
nance, as circumcision was amongst the Jews, and
from the propriety of devoting children to. God.'
The principal arguments in favour of adult Baptism
are, that it was the practice of John and the Apostles,
and the propriety of faith and repentance preceding
this ordinance. Whether it is to be administered
by sprinkling or immersion can be of little conse
quence, for the circumstantials of positive insti
tutions must depend in some measure on the time
and the place. And though I am ready to acknow
ledge that immersion was the primitive mode, I can
not think that John, who baptized in the river Jor
dan, would have baptized in one of our rivers during
a severe Winter. But whether the Poedo or Anti-
poedo Baptists come nearest in their sentiments
and practice to those of the primitive Church, I
cannot but think that our brethren, the Baptists, have
laid an undue stress on this point, and manifested an
undue zeal in making proselytes, and this has been
the case even with some who, in other respects, have
been very liberal in their views and sentiments.
The consideration, then, that Christians will
sever think all alike ; that it is not desirable they

24

should, and that they do think alike on the most
important articles, are sufficient to induce them—
IV. To keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace.
Yet not all these considerations, nor the dying-
bequest of the great Founder of our religion,
*? Peace I leave with you, my peace I give nnto you,"
nor the apostolic injunction, " Be at peace among
yourselves," no, nor the whole genius and spirit of
the Gospel, have in fact produced this desirable
effect. The weakness and depravity of the human
race, and especially the lust of pride, have been too
powerful for all the arguments of reason and for all.
the precepts of religion.
We had indeed begun to flatter ourselves that
the Daemon of persecution had fled from the face of
the Earth, or at least from the bosom of the christian
Church. But though he appeared to have fallen
asleep, or to be bound with strong fetters, he has,
in a neighbouring country, awoke from his sleep or
broken his fetters. In that Country where the
Daemon of Atheism reigned, on the one hand, in all
his baneful influence, and where, on the other hand,
the Daemon of religious indifference ruled with a
torpid sway—in that Country where, during the
reign of the late despotic Emperor, religious tolera
tion and liberty were allowed in their full extent 
in that fickle and volatile Nation the Daemon of

25
persecution haS lately burst forth, and in that part
of the Kingdom where he once raged in all his fury
at so early a period as the second century.
But I proceed to mention some considerations
which may tend to cherish the unity of the spirit
and to strengthen the bond of peace among Chris
tians. And —
1. We should consider that there is something
good in all the different denominations of Christians
as well as something defective. And as long as men
continue ignorant and imperfect creatures, no sys
tem of opinions and no body of men will be free
from errors and defects.
Amongst the orthodox or evangelical Denomina
tion, there is great zeal in attending public worship.
They go to the House of prayer with regularity and
alacrity. The clouds do not appear to them more
lowering, the rain more heavy or the wind more
piercing on the Lord's-day than on other days. And
they are no more kept from going to the House of
God by unfavourable weather than the children of
this world are from going to the temple of Mammon,
or the votaries of dissipation from attending some
favourite amusement, because they regard the ser
vice of God as their greatest gaiu, aud the ordi
nances of religion as their noblest entertainment.
They are also more exemplary than most other
D

26

Christians for their devotion at the family altar, and
for catechising and instructing their children and
servants. In all these respects my heart is with
them. — But they have also their defects. Some of
them are more observant of the duties of the first
Table than those of the second, and are more care
ful to walk humbly before God than to do justly and
love mercy. Some of them also are too apt to
substitute the instrumental duties of religion for
the weightier matters of the Law, such as fidelity,
integrity and mercy. Too many of them are de
fective in candour and liberality ; though I hope
that their want of charity oftener arises from a
defect of the head than of the heart. But no pre
tence of zeal for the truth can vindicate a violation
of the eternal laws of truth, integrity, benevolence,
courtesy and good manners.
That Denomination of Christians which is roost
opposite to the Calvinistic, whether it be called
Socinian, Priestleyan or Unitarian, though the latter
term be not sufficiently discriminating — this De
nomination of Christians has also- its excellencies
and defects. It is distinguished for honour, pro
bity, integrity and liberality, but is less exemplary
for its observance of the instrumental duties of
religion than the opposite party. Of late years
it has manifested a great proselyting zeal, and some,

27

I apprehend, are more solicitous to make converts
to their grand doctrine of the Unity of the Godhead
than to teach men to fear God and keep his com
mands : though many, 1 know, make this their great
object, and are of a truly serious spirit. They are
often superstitiously afraid of superstition ; and
while they are obliged to acknowledge that there are
mysteries in the works of Creation and in the dis
pensations of Providence, they feel a great aversion
to the word mystery when applied to the dispen
sations Of divine Grace.
They are too prone to look down with pity or
contempt on those who believe that the Gospel
contains more than they are willing to allow.
And though they are happily free from that un
charitable spirit which consigns persons of dif
ferent sentiments from themselves, to future punish
ment, yet some of them are not altogether free
from that supercilious and dogmatical spirit which
arises from the pride of human reason.
With respect to the Methodists, whether of the
Calvinistic or the Arminian persuasion, they cannot
claim an exemption from defects, though I readily
acknowledge their excellencies. The exhortation
which Balak king of Moab gave to the prophet
Balaam respecting the Israelites, was once given by
a dissenting Tutor to his Pupils respecting the
d2

28

Methodists, " Neither bless them at all nor curse
them at all." I confess that I am much more dis
posed to bless than to curse them. They have been
of eminent service in civilizing the barbarous and
in awakening the thoughtless and abandoned to a
•sense of religion. They have gone out into the
highways and hedges and compelled the sons and
daughters of ignorance and vice to come in to the
Gospel feast : but when they have gone amongst the
regular professors of religion they have sometimes
produced unhappy effects. In some cases they have
excited the deep groans of despondency and the
airy flights of enthusiasm. They will say that
they are not answerable for this, since the best
things are liable to abuse. I will make no reply ;
but wish they had a little more discretion ming
led with their zeal. Some years ago I knew an
old Gentleman who had maintained a respectable
character through life and lived to the advanced
age of ninety-three. In his last illness some of
his relations who were Methodists came to visit
him and endeavoured to make him a convert to
their principles. After listening to them for some
time, the old Gentleman made the following reply :
When I was a boy my Mother called me to her and
said, Harry, whatever you forget, never forget or neg
lect this: — Do justly, love mercy and walk hum-

29

bly with God. Now if you can tell me any thing
better than this, I am willing to hear it, but if you
cannot, I beseech yon to hold your peace.
As to the Established Church, I regard it as
tolerant in its practice and useful in its institutions.
The private sentiments of its members are various.
Some are Calvinists and others Arminians. Most
of them are Trinitarians, not a few Arians and
some perhaps Socinians. But they obey the ex
hortation of the Apostle. " Hast thou faith, have
it to thyself." They do not think it necessary to
split into different parties, and their belonging
to one Body serves to cherish the* unity of the
spirit and to preserve the bond of peace among
them. The Establishment has with some propriety
been stiled by an elegant Writer the womb and
the grave of all sects. They all spring from it and
after some changes and revolutions, return to it
again. But during their separation they are use
ful in various respects, and in this amongst others
that by their opposition and attacks they help to
preserve their venerable Mother from falling into a
lethargy, t for it is the defect of most Establish
ments that they have a tendency, to languor, apathy
and torpor.
I must of course think my own system of opin
ions preferable to those of others. But I readily
»3

80

allow that the Denomination of Christians to which
I belong has its defects as well as its excellencies.
But I shall only say at present, that it has con»
formed too much to the World, and that it has de
clined in its zeal and consequently in it's numbers,
but that there are still many highly valuable and
respectable characters to be found in it.
2. As all Denominations of christians have
both their excellencies and defects, so every system
of opinions has its difficulties as well as its advant
ages. If there be a man who has found out a system
free from difficulties, let that man cast the first
stone at all those who differ from him ; yet, if he
were so inclined it would shew that his creed had
not produced its proper influence on his heart.
The candid and thoughtful Calvinist must al
low that his system in appearance is somewhat
harsh, and militates against the justice and good
ness of God. The candid Trinitarian must allow
that there are many passages of Scripture which
speak of the Son of God as a derived > Being and
dependant on his Father; The candid Socinian must
concede, that it is not very easy to reconcile some
declarations of the Gospel with the notion of the
simple Humanity of Christ: and I, as an Arian-, am
ready to acknowledge that my system is not fre#
from difficulties. Indeed the idea of that exalted

31

Person, whom under God, I regard aa the Maker
and Governor of the World, becoming an infant and
liable to all the wants of mortality, appears to some
so strange, that they cannot embrace it. I acknow
ledge that it is strange, that it is wonderful, that it
is love which passeth knowledge.
We all profess to take, and believe that we do
take, our respective Systems from the sacred Scrip
tures, and we are all pleased with our own, though
for different reasons. The Socinian is pleased with
his on account of its simplicity : the Arian with his
on account of its dignity and grandeur; the Trinit
arian with his on account of its obscure sub
limity : and the Calvinist with his for its un
fathomable depth. This is all very well. And if the
system that we adopt does but lead us to a humble,
devout and benevolenftemper of mind, this is better
still, and we need not then fear being condemned
hereafter for any errors of judgment.
Now since the various Denominations of Christi
ans have their several excellencies and defects, let
us view the former with pleasure and the latter with
candour. Since the different religious systems have
-their difficulties as well as their advantages, let us
not be bigotted to our own system or treat with se
verity or ridicule those of others. But mindful
that we differ from them as much as they differ from
ns, let us exercise that candour and charity towards

32

them, which we think it reasonable they should in
dulge towards us.
Follow, then, my Brethren, after the things which
make for peace, and things wherewith you may edi
fy one another. And may the God of peace be
with you all. Amen.

END OF SERMON II.

SERMON III.

Ephesians iv. 3.
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace.

OUR. blessed Lord, whilst upon Earth, said to
his followers, " By this shall all men know that ye
are my disciples, if ye love one another." There
was a time when they were known by this badge.
At an early period of the Church the Heathens ex
claimed with wonder and admiration, " Behold, how
these Christians love one another!" Would to God
that this could be said in the present day. I
trust that it can be said in some measure. But
would to God that it could be said with a clearer
voice, in a more extensive sense and with greater
admiration. For if we compare the temper and conduct of
many Christians with the precepts of the Gospel of
peace ; or if we compare them with the humble
and peaceable spirit of the great Founder of our

34
holy religion, I am afraid we shall find a lamentable
difference. Yet still the precepts of that religion lie open
to our view. Still the example of the Redeemer is
recorded for our imitation, and still the ministers of
the Gospel are commissioned to enforce those pre
cepts, and to hold forth that example to the regard
of Christians. In pursuance of what I am persuaded is one
grand design of the christian Ministry, I have
been endeavouring to enforce a spirit of unity and
peace, —
I. By shewing that Christians will never think
all alike.II. That it is not desirable they should.
• ' III. That they do think alike on the most im
portant articles, and therefore —
IV. That they, should endeavour to keep the
unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
This the Apostle points out in the verses follow
ing our text, in which he declares that all Christians
coustitute one body : that they have all one faith,
one hope, one baptism, one Lord and one God. And
this I maintain that all Christians, whether they are
Roman Catholics or Protestants ; whether they are
members of established Churches or Dissenters from
those Churches ; whether they are Trinitarians, or
Unitarians, consisting of Arians and Socinians ; I

35'

maintain that all of them hold the essentials of
Christianity, since they all believe that there is one
God the Father, of whom are all things, and one
Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things. That
they all build on the same foundation, consisting of
Christ and his Apostles, however differently they
may construct those buildings, some making use of
wood or hay or stubble, and others using more
precious materials.
1 have endeavoured to enforce Christian peace
and unity by the consideration —
I. That the different denominations of Chris
tians have their several excellencies and defects, and
that we ought to view the former with pleasure and
the latter with candour.
I shall now make some further observations
under this head. All bodies that pass through a
state of fermentation have their froth and scum, and
also their dregs. Thus it is with that body of
Christians which usually have been called the ortho-»
dox, and of late years the evangelical. Its froth
and scum are the Enthusiasts and Antinomians !
Its dregs are those who are filled with spiritual
pride ; those who make a gain of godliness, and
they who lie for the sake of the truth. But the
Body itself, when refined from these impurities,
stands distinguished for a high-toned piety and for
an ardent and active benevolence.

36
I have observed that the religious Denomination
to which I belong, and in which I would compre
hend the Presbyterians and moderate Independents,
has decliued in its zeal, and consequently in its num
bers : yet that there are many truly respectable and
eminent characters to be found in it; men of rational
though not of ostentatious piety, and of true chris
tian charity.
When indeed I consider that this respectable
Body of Christians has formed a strong Phalanx
which has opposed the attacks of enthusiasm, su
perstition and bigotry on the one hand, and the
assaults of infidelity and licentiousness en the other,
I cannot feel indifferent about its welfare.
When I call to mind the illustrious names and
characters which have adorned this Body of Chris
tians, the two Henrys, with Watts and Doddridge ;
Chandler and Barker and Pickard ; Price and
Farmer and Furneaux ; Towgood, Urwick and the
two Worthingtons, with others that might be men
tioned ; 1 feel it an honour to belong to this De
nomination of Christians.
When I consider the numerous and flourishing
Congregations which belonged to this respectable
Body from the beginning to the middle of the last
century, and the greater or less decline of almost
all those Congregations since that period, I ask,
whence arises this decline ? It cannot be from

37

death. That has equally attacked other Societies.
Has it arisen from persecution ? No : for except in
a partial and solitary instance, we have had the full
liberty of worshipping God without molestation.
The temples of the living God have been open to
us, but our hearts have been too much shut against
them. I will again ask, are those principles which
wrought in the minds of such men as Watts and
Doddridge so deep a conviction of the malignity
of sin, and so high a sense of the Divine justice
and mercy in the redemption of sinners by the
death of Christ, are those principles a mere delu
sion ? Have they no foundation in the Gospel ? Do
they cease to pull down the strong holds of sin and
to convert transgressors to God because some Choice
Spirits of the present day chuse to call them super
stitious and absurd? To these questions I am strong
ly disposed to answer in the negative.
To what then shall we ascribe this declension?
Alas ! it is not difficult to divine the cause. It
arises from the decline of a serious spirit and the
prevalence of a worldly spirit: from a growing con
formity to the World and a fondness for dissipation;
from Parents neglecting to catechise their children,
and from the family altar being forsaken.
I will not ascribe this decline of a serious spirit
to the change of sentiment among the Presbyterians,
for I believe it has more frequently preceded than
E

38

been the consequence of it. But I must acknow
ledge that I view with some degree of surprize the
change which has taken place within the last ten or
twenty years. Has any new Revelation been sent
us from Heaven? Or have we any better com
mentators on the Scriptures than Henry and Whitby
and Doddridge and Orton? Have we any among
the moderns of stronger sense, of greater learn
ing, or better acquainted with the original lan
guages of the Old and New Testament ? Have
they found out by the examination of ancient
MSS. that all those passages which speak of the
Divine nature and atonement of Christ are inter
polations? No, for though a general and vague notion
prevails among the Laity that there is much mis
translation in our version of the Scriptures, by
which they satisfy their minds respecting those pas
sages which militate against their system, let them
be told that there are very few texts which have
been controverted as to the fidelity of their trans
lation, and that if these were given up it would be of
no consequence, since there are a sufficient number
remaining of undisputed authority. Of those
Ministers who have changed their sentiments within
these few years, I have known some, who used to ex
press themselves very strongly in favour of the doc
trines which f have mentioned, and declare that they
never could give them up as long as they found some

39

passages in the New Testament which they men
tioned. I cannot therefore account for the change
which has taken place ; and they will say it is no
business of yours to account for it ; I acknowledge
the truth of this remark and remain silent.
But there is one question of great importance
which I would ask, or rather which I would intreat,
the converts to Socinian principles to ask them
selves : — Have they received any benefit from their
change of sentiment? They profess to entertain
more honourable and more amiable views of God
and his Government. Do they then serve Him with
greater devotion and zeal than they formerly did ?
Do they who neglected family worship now practice
it? Do they pay a greater regard to the Sabbath and
attend public worship more constantly ? Or do they
stand more aloof from the sinful pleasures of the
World ? If so, I rejoice at their change.
But to return to ourselves. Regarding the
cause in which I am engaged as the cause of
truth and christian candour, I ask myself can I
do nothing for its revival? Something I have
done, and by the help of God I will do more. But
much I cannot do, my christian friends, as your
minister, without your concurrence. I will begin
public worship punctually, if you will attend punc
tually. 1 will endeavour to make my addresses
more striking, if you will frequent the house of God
e2

40
more constantly. I will try to repeat our hymns of
praise more fervently, if you will make the responses
with greater animation. I will not suffer- trifling
causes to prevent my officiating, if you will not suf
fer trifling causes to prevent your assembling to
gether. And should any urgent and sudden cause
prevent me, I could wish you to adjourn to the
opposite House of prayer, for have we not all one
hope of our calling, one faith, one baptism, one
Lord and one God ?
I now proceed to the consideration of what tends
greatly to break the bond of peace and union among
Christians, and that is, their ascribing to each other
sentiments which they do not maintain and conse
quences which they do not allow.
How common is it for the ignorant and bigot ted
to confound together Atheists and Deists and Arians
and Socinians, and doom them all in one common
mass to hell-fire. But let the ignorant and the
young be informed that Atheists are persons who
Believe there is no God ; that Deists believe there
is a God, but that the Christian religion is not a
divine revelation ; that Arians believe in the pre-
existence of Christ, and that God made and re
deemed the World by him ; and that Socinians are
persons who believe that Christ is a mere man, but
the greatest of all Prophets, who has taught us the
way to Heaven, and will judge all mankind.

41

Again. How common is it for the Protestants
to charge the Roman Catholics with worshipping
the cross and images, and also with maintaining
the horrid doctrine that no faith is to be kept with
Heretics, when they absolutely deny both these.
How prone are Unitarians to charge Trinitarians
with contradiction and absurdity in maintaining that
one is three and three are one.
The Trinitarians constitute a great majority of
the Christian church, yet not one of them will say
that three are one and one three, in the same
sense — and that the same person or the same thing
may be one and three in different senses, we must
all allow — thus, for instance, the same person may
be a Clergyman, a Justice of Peace, and a Farmer,
and it is in some such manner as this that some of
them explain their notions of the doctrine of the
Trinity. But they all of them declare, and I doubt
not they are sincere, they all declare that they be
lieve there is but one God, as much as the Unit
arians do.
, Again. The Evangelical party have been
charged with holding doctrines which are unfavour
able to morality, and of a licentious tendency. The
charge is unjust, for there are no persons who lay
greater stress on sanctificatiou and personal holiness,
or who are brighter examples pf it; but they have
been sometimes unguarded in their expressions, and
e3

42
the pointed charges to which they have been exposed
may render them more cautious. Fas est et ab hoste
doceri : We may receive instruction even from an
enemy. On the other hand this party have charged
the Arminians with expecting to be saved by
their own merit and good works. This charge
also is unjust. There are no Christians but
what maintain that there can be no merit in
creatures, much less in sinful creatures, and that
salvation must proceed from the sovereign and free
grace of God; 1 say they all allow this, though they
may differ somewhat in their account of the manner
in which His grace is communicated.
What foundation, then, can there be for shutting
our hearts against that sweet spirit of unity which
the Gospel breathes, or for casting away that de
lightful bond of peace which it has provided for us ?
But alas ! the different denominations of Christians,
by using the same word in different senses, and by
mistaking one another's sentiments, lay a founda
tion for endless disputes and dissentions. An un
founded charge is brought, a warm reply is made,
a still warmer rejoinder follows, till Christians, in
their disputes about their common Lord and Saviour,
are like the men of Israel'and Judah in their dis
pute respecting David their common King, " the
words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the

43

words of the men of Israel." In these disputes the
still small voice " love one another, be at peace
among yourselves," is not heard or not regarded.
But that voice I will utter, and, by the blessing of
God, will continue to utter, as long as the breath
of life remains in me.
We have reason to thank God that we do not
live in an ajre, at least not in a land of religious
apathy and indifference. There is much religious
zeal afloat amongst us. A considerable portion of
this, no doubt, is employed in promoting our com*
mon Christianity ; I believe too large a part is
sectarian and party zeal, though I apprehend there
is not a sufficient portion even of this in that de
nomination of Christians to which I belong. It has
not been sufficiently active and alert in stating its
principles and in defending them against the attacks
of the Calvinists on the one hand and of the So
cinians on the other.
Indeed it seems as if, in the present imperfect
state, we could not well maintain a proper zeal for
religion itself without indulging some mixture of
party zeal with it. And so it is in the natural
World. We are not formed for breathing the pure
vital air of Heaven Without a due mixture of azotic
and noxious air. But as, when there is too great a
proportion of this latter, it debilitates and injures
the body, so, when there is too. great a proportion

44

of party zeal mingled with that which is pure and
heavenly, it debases and injures the immortal soul.
In general, however, zeal is too apt to outstrip
discretion and leave charity too far behind.
But when those three heavenly sisters, Zeal,
Prudence and Charity walk hand in hand, what a
lovely groupe do they form! The admiration of
men, the delight of angels, the beloved of God! As
they proceed the flowers spring up under their feet,
the rose of Sharon blossoms around them, and the
lilly of the rallies sheds its sweetest perfume. The
dew. of Hermon and of the mountains of Zion de
scends upon them, and the precious ointment goes
down to the skirts of their garments. As they
advance the mountains and the hills break forth
before them into singing, and all the trees of the
field clap their hands. Instead of the thorn comes
up the fir-tree, and instead of the briar comes up
the myrtle-tree. They will enter every house that
is open to receive them, they will enter every heart
that. is not shut against them. Let us throw open
the doors of our houses, let us open wide the avenues
of our heaTts for their reception, for they will bless
us in our temporal and they will bless us in our
spiritual concerns. They will bless us in our
basket and in our store, they will bless us in the
city and they will bless us in the field, they will
bless us in our going out and in our coming in, they

45

will bless us in our domestic relations, in our family
connections and in our friendly associations, and
they will conduct us to the presence of the Prince
of Peace and the God of Love. There may we
dwell in love and dwell in God and God in us.

END OF SERMON III.

SERMON IV.

Ephesiaks iv. 3.
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the
bond of peace.

WE read in ancient history of a cruel robber
named Procrustes, who having seized travellers,
measured them by his bed, and if too long he cut
them shorter, but if too short stretched them till
they reached his standard.
Our contempt for this monster, this tyrant of
the body, is lost in our abhorrence of his' detestable
cruelty. And what shall we say of those tyrants of
the soul who resolve that all human minds shall be
reduced to the same staudard; and in order to effect
this stretch the body on a rack, or break it on a
wheel, and when they cannot subdue the unconquer
able soul, force it from its frail tenement by giving
up the latter to the flames or the wild beasts ? Their
folly, if not their cruelty, is greater than that of Pro
crustes, since he was able to effect his Purpose, but

48

they can never effect theirs ; for I have shewn that
men never will think alike, that it is not desirable
they should, that christians do think alike on the
most important articles, and that all these consider
ations should induce them to " keep the unity of
the spirit in the bond of peace."
In my last discourse on this subject I shewed,
that one grand reason why Christians shut their
hearts against that spirit of unity which the Gospel
breathes, and why they break that bond of peace
which it provides for them, is their ascribing to
each other, sentiments which they do not believe,
or with consequences which they do not allow.
I am now to shew that opinions and sentiments
are only the means or instruments of religion ; but
that peace and unity are its very essence ; and that
in order to keep this peace and unity it is necessary
to use our strenuous endeavours. " Endeavouring,"
says the apostle, " to keep the unity of the spirit in
the bond of Peace."
I observe, that opinions and sentiments are only
the means or instruments of religion, but that peace
and union constitute its very essence.
More need not be said on this part of the sub
ject, more cannot be said, than what the Apostle
Paul has written in the 13th Chapter of the 1st of
Corinthians, which deserves to be written in letters
of gold, or graven with a pen of iron and the point

49

ef a diamond, in the rock for ever. Oh ! that it
were engraven on the heart of every Christian. In
the preceding chapter, St. Paul points out the
nature and value of those miraculous gifts which he
says " were given to every man to profit withal," he
exhorts them " to desire earnestly the best gifts,"
but adds that he would ." shew unto them a more
excellent way," that more excellent way, he points
out in the 13th Chapter.
The Apostle begins with observing, that though
he were able to speak all the languages of Mortals,
and even those of Angels, yet if he had not Charity
he should resemble only an unmeaning musical in
strument; that though he had the gift of foretelling
the most distant events, and understood all those
mysteries which are concealed from the eyes of Mor
tals, and all knowledge of things, both human and
divine, and even possessed that miraculous faith
which could remove mountains, and had not Chari
ty, he should be nothing — Nothing in the sight of
God. — That if he were even to bestow all his goods
to feed the poor, and give his body to be burned,
yet if these splendid acts did not proceed from a
principle of love to God and Man, they would be of
no advantage to him.
He then proceeds to point out the qualities of
this divine grace.- Charity suffers long the injuries
F

50

which it receives, and is kind towards those who in
flict them. Charity envieth not the prosperity or
the good qualities of others. Charity vaunteth not
itself of any gifts or graces which it may possess,
and is not puffed up with pride on account of them.
It doth not behave itself unseemly; in a manner
unbecoming its station, age, or circumstances:
seeketh not her own welfare merely; is not easily
provoked to wrath ; thinketh no evil, but puts the
kindest construction on the conduct of others ; it re-
joiceth not in the iniquity of men, but rejoices
when it can bear a true testimony to their worth ;
it beareth all things with patience: it believeth
all things so far as there can be any foundation
for it; it hopeth that in all things which are
wrong men will see their error and repent, and it
will endure the chastisement of God, and the
ill-treatment of men with great meekness and
resignation. He then declares that this christian and divine
grace would never fail, whilst all those gifts which
were intended merely for that age of the church
would cease. And now abideth faith, hope, chari
ty, these three excellent graces which far surpass
all those shining gifts, about which you are prone
to contend; but the greatest of these is Charity;"
for when faith shall be exchanged for sight, and

51
hope for enjoyment, Charity, which transforms us
into the image of God, shall abide for ever.
Meditate and ponder, my friends, on those quali
ties of this divine grace which the apostle enu
merates, and above all transcribe them into your
own hearts.
I now proceed lo the last division of the subject
that in order to cultivate a spirit of unity and to
preserve the bond of peace unbroken, we must use
our most strenuous endeavours, " endeavouring"
says the Apostle, " to keep the Unity of the Spirit
in the bond of Peace," and these endeavours must
be principally exerted with respect to ourselves,
our own spirit and temper.
1st. We must endeavour to banish or subdue the
spirit of Pride. In entering on the subject I men
tioned this as the root and spring of divisions and
animosities and fiery zeal. " Only by pride," says
the wise man, " cometh contention." Let us then
endeavour to subdue that Pride which leads us to
" think more highly of ourselves than we ought to
think" — that pride which places us on the throne of
judgment and leads us to dictate our decisions with
all the infallibility of a Pope; that pride which
prompts us to say " Stand by yourselves, for we are
holier than you — No doubt we are the people, and
wisdom shall die with us." *2

52

Let us think soberly of ourselves and deem it
possible that we may be mistaken, and that those
who differ from us may be in the right. And not
resting satisfied with general and vague notions of
the fallibility and ignorance of man, let us apply to
ourselves the declaration, humanum est errare.
Indeed it seems strange, that persons who entertain
the most degrading notions of the blindness and
corruption of human nature, should sometimes be
the very persons who are the most dogmatical in
their decisions and who feel the highest degree of
spiritual Pride. But they will say we are en
lightened by the spirit of God. Let them remem
ber that the spirit of God, is a spirit of meekness
and peace and love.
2nd. Let us not make distinctions where there
is no difference.
As we should learn to distinguish things that
differ, so should we learn also not to make dis
tinctions where there is no difference. I have main
tained that great good results from the Christian
Church being divided into different sects, and I be
lieve this to be the case, but Ne quid nimis, every
thing may be carried to an extreme ; I apprehend
this to be the case in the present instance. If
Christians would but use words in the same sense,
not mistake each others meaning, and not deem
small variations of sentiment ground for separation,

' 53
I think they would find about seven divisions suf
ficient to comprehend them all; but now they are
divided into I know not how many denominations, I
believe not less than ten times seven.
By thus multiplying divisions and subdivisions,
they injure their own cause, the common cause of
Christianity, and relax the bond of peace and
unity. 3rdly. Let us be satisfied with the use of
scriptural language, on controversial points.
I do not know what better language we can
adopt, and I am persuaded if- we rested satisfied
with this, the axe would be laid to the root of much
contention and animosity. If we did not use the
language of scripture exactly in the same sense I
cannot see that any harm would result from this.
If Synods and Councils and Popes would but express
their articles and confessions of faith, in the Ian- -
guage of scripture, I would readily subscribe them,
by whatever authority they were enjoined.
How much better would it be if christian minis
ters would confine themselves to the use of scrip
tural doxologies and benedictions, to which none
could object, and in which all could join. There is
a sufficient variety of these, and they are far su
perior to any which human invention can devise,
both in simplicity; and in dignity.
f3

54

4thly, Let us endeavour to convince christians,
that their peculiar tenets are not essential to salva
tion. As long as the Roman Catholics maintain,
that salvation is not to be found out of the pale of
their church; as long as any denomination of
Christians believe, that none can find acceptance
with God, unless they hold their peculiar system
of doctrine, so long the union of the spirit will be
dissolved, and the bond of peace broken. When
this notion is connected with a weak understanding
it will produce bigotry; when it is connected with
self-importance, it will produce spiritual pride, and
when associated with power, it will produce per
secution. And those who indulge it will be tempted
not only to call down fire from heaven to consume
those who will not receive their faith, but will be
ready to kiudle that fire on earth whieh will con
sume the objects of their vengeance, and well will
it be if it do not, like the fiery furnace of Nebu
chadnezzar, in a spiritual sense, consume those who
kindle and blow up the flame.
But this is ground upon which I stand firm,
this is a position which I can maintain against a
host of opponents, that no peculiar system of doc
trine, is essential to salvation, because those princi
ples, which are common to all christians are able to
produce that purity of heart whieh will enable men
to see God, and that resemblance to Christ which

65

will lead his followers to rejoice at his second ap*
pearance. 4. Let us cultivate a general principle of kind
ness and good-will towards all our fellow creatures,
and this will do much to promote a spirit of unity
and peace towards our christian brethren.
Let us accustom ourselves to regard all mankind
as the offspring of the same affectionate Parent,
and all Christians as the disciples of one common
Master. Let us reflect that man at his best estate
is ignorant and frail, imperfect and sinful ; " Shall
he then bear hatred to another, and yet seek pardon
from the Lord ? Shall he shew no mercy to a man
like himself, and yet ask forgiveness of his own
sins ?"
All Christians will acknowledge in general the
importance of peace and unity and charity towards
their brethren ; but they except those who deny
what they deem the fundamental truths of Christi
anity, and the misfortune is that they are prone
to regard their own peculiar sentiments as consti
tuting these fundamental truths. But who will pre
sume to pronounce any thing else essential to sal
vation but what the Apostle Paul has declared to
be sufficient, when he says, " If thou shalt con
fess with thy tongue the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in tby heart that God hath raised him from

5Q

the dead, thou shalt be saved." One of the Fathers
of the Church has excellently said,
In necessariis Unitas,
In dubiis Libertas,
In omnibus Charitas.
In necessary things unity, in doubtful things liberty,
in all things charity.
In the first class there are very few, in the
second class there are many things, and in the third
they are innumerable.
I am not aware that any thing which I have
said in these discourses has a tendency to encourage
a spirit of lukewarmness and indifference, and I
am sure that this is not the spirit of the Gospel.
For if there be any truth and reality in Religion,
it must be a concern of the greatest, of infinite mo.
ment : and all doctrines are of importance in pro
portion as they tend to promote love to God and
charity to man. They are valuable to us so far
as they actually produce this love and charity.
As a citizen of this World, I would much sooner
live under the dominion of a tolerant unbeliever
than under that of a persecuting zealot. Yet I am
inclined to think that the fiery bigot, Queen Mary,
possessed more real worth in the sight of God than
Gallio, who cared for none of these things; or than
Bonaparte, who granted universal toleration. How-

57

ever, these things will be better known on that day
when the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed.
Nor do I regard with indifference that system
of religious opinions which 1 have adopted; for I
think it both scriptural and rational; highly honour
able to God and beneficial to man. I deem the
grand mediatorial scheme of redemption by Jesus
Christ perfectly consistent with and analogous to
that plan of mediation which God has adopted in
his providential government, and that he has abound
ed towards us in all wisdom and in ail prudence ;
in all mercy and in all grace by his beloved Son.
I cannot embrace the Calvinistic system, because
it appears to me irreconcileable with the attributes
of God. I cannot embrace the Socinian scheme,
because 1 think it irreconcileable with the plain
declarations of Scripture. But I agree with the
former in believing the original depravity and the
actual guilt of all mankind, and that penitents are
justified freely by the grace of God, through the
redemption which is by Christ Jesus. I agree with
the latter in believing that Christ died not to render
God more merciful, but to render us the fit objects
of his mercy; to redeem us from all iniquity, and
to purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of
good works. I agree with the Trinitarians in be
lieving that the Son of God, who, in the language
of prophecy, is called Wonderful, Counsellor and

58
a mighty God ; although once in the form of God,
took upon him the form of a servant, and was found
in fashion as a man. I agree with them also in
believing that the Holy Spirit, into whose name we
are baptized, is another divine Agent, employed in
sanctifying and comforting the children of men.
And I agree with the wise and good of all denomin
ations, that the grand design of the Gospel is to
transform us from sin to holiness, and to translate
us from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom
of God. And, now, my Brethren, let us direct our
thoughts to that awful day which is fixed in ihe
councils of the Most High ; but the exact period
of which is not known to mortals, nor to Angels,
no, nor even to the Son, but to the Father only;
that day when party distinctions will be forgotten:
when religious disputes will cease : when faith and
hope will be known no more, but when Charity will
continue to burn with a bright and steady flame,
since it is the hallowed fire of Heaven: that day, on
which it will not be asked by the great Judge, what
we thought of his person, but whether we obeyed
his commands; and on which both the persecutors
and the persecuted will appear before his tribunal.
And who are they who occupy a distinguished
station at his right hand ? These are the noble
army of Martyrs, who came out of great tribulation.

59

Vow they experience the fulfilment of their Lord's
declaration, " Blessed are they who are persecuted
for righteousness' sake, for their's is the kingdom of
Heaven." But who are they who stand afar off on
his left hand? These are the furious zealots and
cruel persecutors. Now their self-delusion is
vanished and they learn what spirit they were of.
That it was not a spirit of religion, but a spirit of
pride. Now they find that while they thought they
did God service, they were serving their own lusts,
their lust of power and revenge. Behold them
trying to hide themselves in the dens and in the
rocks of the mountains. Hear them with piercing
accents saying to the mountains and rocks, fall on
us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on
the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, whose
cause we dishonoured, and whose religion we in
jured. — -0 Thou most worthy Judge Eternal, have
mercy on them, for they knew not what they did.
Now may peace be to the brethren, and love with
faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. Amen.

END OF SERMON IV.

PASTORAL ADDRESS,

DELIVERED

TO THE PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION,

AT

STOURBRIDGE,
On (he 18ih of February, 1816.

G

A
PASTORAL ADDRESS,
$c. $c.

MY BELOVED FfllENDS AND BRETHREN,
IT is now almost thirty-eight years
since I first settled amongst you as your minister.
At that time I addressed you, or rather addressed
your Fathers, from these words of the Apostle Peter
to Cornelius and his friends, " I ask therefore for
what intent ye have sent for me?"
How far the important purposes for which Con
gregations invite Ministers to settle amongst them
— how far these purposes have been answered by
my coming amongst you, my brethren, will be best
known on that solemn day when both Ministers and
their People must appear before the Judgement-seat
of Christ, and when the secrets of all hearts shall
be revealed. But it behoves both you and me to enquire seri
ously, how far we have made it our Concern that
these important ends might be answered. Leaving
g 2

64

it to you, my Friends, to make this enquiry for
yourselves, I must acknowledge with unfeigned sor
row and with deep humility, that I am conscious of
numerous omissions and defects in fulfilling: the
ministry which I have received' of thV Lord Jesus.
For these manifold defic^ences 1 am sensible that I
stand in need of your candour and forgiveness; but
much more do I stand in need of pardoning mercy
from my God through his beloved Son.
Yet my conscience bears me witness, and I bless
God that I have this testimony, my conscience bears
me witness that I have not handled the word of God
deceitfully, that 1 have kept back nothing which I
thought piofitable to you, and that I have not
shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of
God. 1 have endeavoured to warn them that are un
ruly, lo comfort the feeble-minded, to support the
weak and to be patient toward all men. Knowing
1he terrors of the Lord, I have sometimes called upon
sinners by this awful consideration to flee from the
wrath lo come. But oficner as an ambassador of
Christ, and as though God did be. srtch Chem by us,
I have prayed them in Christ's stead to be" recon
ciled unto God.
Often from this place, and sometimes in a state
of weakness and pain, have I addressed words of
consolation to the sons and daughters of affliction,
thus endeavouring to follow the example of the

65

apostle Paul, who says to his Corinthian friends,
"• Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the God of all comfort, who com for t-
eth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able
to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the
comfort wherewith we Ourselves are comforted of
God." My Brethren, the Gospel of Christ is the power
of God unto salvation. It finds man upon Earth an
ignorant, sinful and mortal creature; if he yield
himself up to its sacred influence, it will place him
in Heaven, arrayed in all the beauty of holiness, the
companion of saints and angels, asd a partaker of
a glorious immortality.
Persuaded that the grand design of the gospel
is to deliver us from the power and condemnation of
sin, and to renew the divine image in our souls, I
take you to record this day, that the strain of my
preaching has not been controversial, but peaceable
and healing; that it has not been speculative, but
practical. I have endeavoured to enforce upon you
the duties of the christian life by Gospel motives,
and have directed your thoughts, to Jesus the Author
and Finisher of our faith, for your example and
your encouragement.
I have also openly and candidly laid before you
at different times my views of the peculiar doctrines
e3

66'
of Christianity; because I deem them doctrines ac
cording to godliness.: And as my public ministry
amongst you cannot in the course of nature be of
any long duration, whilst frequent attacks of disor
der remind me that it may be of very short con
tinuance, I will endeavour that after my decease.ye
maybe able to have those doctrines which I have
preached unto you always in remembrance,
In the first place then I have represented to you,
that there is but one God, the Father, the Fountain
of all good, and the only -'object of our supreme
worship."' I have considered the apppointment of
the Son of. God*to be our Saviour, as proceeding
from the free grace and unbounded love of his
Father and our Father, who- has* made his Son
unto'us wisdom', righteousness, sanctification and
redemption. I have not been careful to ascertain,
nor am I capable of ascertaining precisely, -the*
nature of the Son of God, for he has told us that
nd man knoweth who the Son is but the Father.
Yet I'beli'eve that he is superior to men and angels,
and inferior to the Father, from severs 1 passages of
Scripture,' and especially' from that declaration of
Christ himself, in Which;, speaking1 of the day of
Judgment, he says, of that day and that hour know«
eth no man, no, not the angels, neither the Son,
but the Father only.

67

I have represented to you that propitiation which
Christ offered for the sins of the World, not as in
tended to render God more merciful, for (hat was
impossible; not as an infinite satisfaction for the
infinite guilt of mankind, for finite creatures cannot
be chargeable with infinite guilt ; and if a full
satisfaction had been paid for the transgressions of
men, then would the pardon of sin be an act of
justice, and not of mercy. But 1 have repre
sented the forgiveness of sin, through the sufferings
and death of Christ, as the method which infinite
wisdom and boundless mercy adopted, .'that God
might be just to his own perfections and govern
ment, whilst he is the justifier of all tbem that
believe in Jesus. God hath indeed commended his
love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us. And !• have always considered
and always represented the mediatorial plan of
salvation by Christ, in every part and in its whole
extent, as full of adorable wisdom and prudence, of
unspeakable mercy and of love, which passeth
knowledge. The doctrine of divine influences I have re
garded as one of the most pleasing and: glorious
discoveries icf Revelation. Our blessed .Saviour
has told us that our heavenly Father is much more
willing, to' bestow his Holy Spirit on ithose who ask
him, than 'earthly ^parents are toigive good" gift*

68

unto their children ; and before his ascension into
heaven, he promised that he would send down the
holy spirit, the Comforter, to be with his disciples
unto the end of the world.
Those three doctrines which I have mentioned,
the divine nature of Christ, the atonement and
divine influences, I regard as the peculiar doctrines
of the Gospel. For with respect to the depravity
and guilt of mankind, we needed no messenger
from heaven to inform us of this. Alas ! it is what
we know too well from our own observation and
experience. Nor is the immediate, though not
complete, happiness of the righteous, after death,
to be regarded as a peculiar doctrine of Christi
anity; for in every age and nation, in which a
future state has been believed, it has also been
believed that this stale would commence immediately
after death. But I have regarded this doctrine as
of considerable importance in reconciling us to the
thought of our own death, and in affording us great
consolation respecting our friends who have died
in the Lord.
This system of opinions I adopted when I studied
divinity at the Academy : I have seen no reason to
depart from it since that period, and it is not pro
bable now that I ever shall. For nothing further
can; be advanced against those doctrines than what
has already been advanced by those able writers.

69
P'iestley and Lindsay and Belsham. I admire their
abilities; I esteem their genuine piety ; I honour
them fortheir open avowal ofi what they believe to
be (he truth. But as their sentiments appear to
me ditferent from those which Christ and'.his.Apos-
tles>. have revealed, L can have no: doubt which I
Ought to adopt. The Socinian scheme may do for
a few philosophic and. well disposed miuds ; but I
am .persuaded^ will hot do for the generality _of
Christians.. They must have a Saviour who is more
than human: they must have an atoning sacrifice;:
they must have a Throne of Grace, wherethey may
apply not only for mercy to pardon, but for grace
to help them in their time of need: and they must
have a High-priest, who is touched with the feeling
of their infirmities to Jn^ercefle for them. And' as
L believe that, the'y find all these in the Gospel of
Christ,!; have thought,, and still think, it my duty
to oppose theiSocinian system with firmness, though
I hope with meekness and candour.
But, I wish, my Brethren, to impress' it on your
minds, ;that,"the things in, which we agree are of
greater importance- than those in which we differ.
For we all believe, (bat there is one God the Fa(her,
and that Christ is a Teacher sent by God. We all
believe in the necessity of holiness, and in a future
state of rewards and punishments.

70
And let me further remind you, my Friends,
that the doctrines which 1 have mentioned above,
are not propounded in the Scriptures as articles of
faith which it is necessary for us to. believe, but
mentioned in order to enforce some christian grace
and virtue. Thus when the Apostle Paul exhorts
the Philippians to cultivate a lowly and benevolent
spirit, he says, " Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of
God, did not aspire to be equal with God, " (for that
I think is the true meaning of the expression) " but
made himself of no reputation, and took upon him
the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness
of men." When he recommends to the christians
at Corinth a charitable contribution, he enforces
it from the wonderful benevolence of Christ : " For
ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though he was rich, yet, for our sakes, he became
popr, that ye, through his poverty, might be made
rich." The Apostle Peter also tells us that the great
design of the atonement of Christ was to promote
our sanctification, when he says, " Who his own
self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that
we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteous
ness." And now, my Friends and Brethren, leaving
what is doctrinal and controversial, let me revert
to our own peculiar state as a religious society.

71
Many and great are the changes which have
taken place since I first became your minister, by
the removal of some members, by the secession of
others, and especially by Death, that irresistible
assailant of our persons, our families and our so
cieties. Whilst I address the survivors on this sub
ject, I feel a mixture of pensive and of pleasing
thoughts. Many are the Fathers and Mothers in
Israel whom I have attended to their long home,
whose characters I reflect upon with satisfaction,
and whose friendship and kindness I recollect with
gratitude. Many there were of the same standing
with, or younger than myself,' whose countenances
God has changed and sent them away. I • need- not
entreat you, my Brethren, to cherish the memory
of those beloved and valuable friends whom you
have lost, but I call upon you to be followers of
those who, through faith and patience, inherit
the promises.
Yet notwithstanding the many losses which this
Society has sustained from various causes, it is still
a respectable, what is still better, it is a peaceable,
and, if all its members who could attend public wor
ship, did regularly attend, it would not be a small
congregation. I beseech you, Brethren,' suffer the word of ex
hortation, proceeding, I trust,' not only, from fidelity
to my great Master, and to your immortal souls, but

72

also from an affectionate regard for your present and
future- welfare., .•,i,;-v.»,.f j - , :_•¦.,(•! 9--.\>i w< -lei
':,, And, my first exhortation respects 'family, re
ligion. It appears, to me that the head of a family
loses somewhat of his respectability arjd dignity,
when he, ceases to be a priest of the; M/ost.High,
to offer up the sacrifices of homage, prayer and
thanksgiving in behalf of himself and' his house
hold. And surely ¦. nothing can have a better; ten
dency to cherish a. sense of religion in the minds
of children and servants, and to bring down the
blessing of God on our houses, than the observance
of family worship. ,, I know that many excuses are
offered ferjiheneglsefc of, this salutary practice; but
I apprehend riot; many, that, are' sufficient. If any
plead inability, excellent forms ;are .-provided; and
in order to contribute somewhat, tp the revival.- of
family worship, . 1 purpose adding prayers, for-a we^k-
to the Liturgy, which I am now reprinting. There
was a ¦period in.the history; of the Dissenters, when
it was; as common for a servant, when his -master
was enquired for, to answer, H'' He,, is at family,
prayers,", as it is now for him to,.reply^ " ;He|,,is
not, at, home, ", y , >j rf.r:.,tt- vl-icii^-ri bif> ,t>!i'-5
My next exhortation respects the. religious in;
struction of children. Parents,, train up' your child
ren in the way in which tneyishoul^gio^aB^.fthosfl
aUihings-.impm^on.-their jtender^mia.ds^tbeofeaij of

73
God and the love of truth. I have, at different
times, catechized those of this Congregation,
though I confess not so regularly as I ought to have
done. But I hope, with the blessing of God, to re
sume this useful practice in the course of the fol
lowing summer.
My third exhortation respects attendance on
- public worship. I do not mean to charge this con
gregation as particularly defective herein. I am
afraid it is a defect and a growing evil in most so
cieties of our Denomination. But if the members
of our congregations did but consider how much it
< strengthens the hands and comforts the hearts of
their ministers, to see their people regular and
punctual in frequenting the House of God ; if they
did but reflect how much it weakens their hands and
grieves their hearts, when their hearers are indif
ferent and negligent in this respect, surely a kind
and tender regard for the comfort and usefulness of
their ministers, as well as a concern for their own
immortal welfare, would not permit them to absent
themselves from public worship without some suf
ficient reason. Will our hearers alledge as an ex
cuse for their conduct, that our prayers are not suf
ficiently fervent to excite their devotion, nor our dis
courses sufficiently animated to impress their
minds? Alas! we acknowledge the justness of this
censure. Our prayers are not sufficiently fervent
H

74

when we consider the importance of the blessings
we ask for. Our discourses are not sufficiently ani
mated, when we consider that we address immortal
souls on subjects of infinite moment. But — our peo
ple absenting themselves from the House of God
will have no tendency to make our prayers more fer
vent or our sermons more striking and impressive.
My last exhortation respects the Lord's Supper.
Am'ongst the various subjects at debate in the christ
ian Church, it has not been disputed whether Christ
instituted this ordinance on the night in which he
was betrayed; it has seldom been called in question
whether it was to continue in his Church till his
second coming. Are those christians then who neg
lect this Institution prepared to say unto their Lord
and Master, " Lord, we revere thine authority, and
have in general made it our concern to obey thy
commands, but there is one ordinance of thine ap
pointment which we think might have been spared
in thy Church, or which we -deem unnecessary at
least for ourselves !" I say, are any christians pre
pared thus to address their Lord?
Will it be said, my Brethren, that these things
which I have mentioned are not religion itself,
but only its instrumental duties? I acknowledge
that they are so. But as the natural life of man
cannot be supported without a supply of food, so
neither can the divine life be supported without that

75
living bread and those fountains of living wafer,
which the Gospel and the ordinances of religion imt
part. If our souls are immortal, then religion must be
of infinite moment; if religion be of infinite mo
ment, then there is a worth and a solemnity in re
ligious ordinances, which words cannot express.
My Friends, we are probationers for Eternity,
and must soon enter on a state that is eternal. Our
Fathers, where are they ? They have passed away
like shadows over the plain. Many of us are draw
ing near the confines of that plain, and our feet
will soon stumble on the dark mountains. Soon
those ears, which have been attending with serious
ness to what I have now delivered, will be closed by
death, and that tongue which is now addressing you
will be silent in the grave. The places which you now
fill up in the House of God, will know you no more
for ever, and the place in which I now stand will be
occupied by another ambassador of Christ. Soon
we must exchange this earthly Temple of God,
either for his heavenly Temple, where an innumer
able company of angels reside, or for that abode
where Satan and his angels dwell. With what seri
ousness then ought you to hear that word which is
able to make you wise unto salvation; and with
what earnestness ought I, as a dying man, to address
fl2

76

unto yon, as dying men, the living truths of the
living God.
And now, my Brethren, I commend you to God
and to the word of his grace, which is able to build
you up and to give you an inheritance among all
them that are sanctified. Amen.

THE END.

NOTES AND ANECDOTES.

Note 1.
Page 1.
THE first sermon that I ever published, was
on the same subject as the present discourses, and
was preached at Dudley Lecture, 1780. With
somewhat of the vanity of a young author I read
the manuscript to Mr. Hawkes, Dr. Priestley, &c.
at the house of the former gentleman, who, when
the question was discussed, how many copies it
would be advisable to print, related the following
anecdote. " A young clergyman went up to Lon
don to publish a sermon, and being asked by the
bookseller how many copies he would have
printed ? answered ' Ten thousand.' ' Ten thou
sand 1' exclaimed the bookseller, with surprize.
" Yes,' replied the clergyman, ' for I have been
thinking that there are ten thousand parishes in
the kingdom, and that every parish would take one
copy at least." I did not learn sufficient wisdom
from this friendly hint, but printed one thousand
copies, which I found satis superqite.
Here I cannot refrain from paying a tribute of
respect to the memory of that excellent man, Mr.
Hawkes; his friendly and benevolent disposition,
ii 3

78
and his pious and devotional spirit rendered him
beloved and respected by all around him. He
ranked high in his profession as a christian minis
ter. The flow of devout language and feelings in
his prayers, and his unaffected and impressive man
ner in delivering his excellent sermons made his
public services very acceptable. It was his custom
to invite the neighbouring ministers to spend the
New-year's day at his hospitable house. The party
which usually assembled consisted of Mr. Blyth,
Mr. Scholefield, Dr. Priestley, Mr. J. Palmer, and
myself; and sometimes Mr. Wood, of Dudley, and
Mr. Procter, of Oldbury. As the company was
pretty equally divided into Arians and Socinians,
much friendly debate commonly took place : but I
do not recollect a single instance of an angry dis
pute.

Note 2.
Page 8.
A Variety in the Moral Creation of God is
pleasing.
" Endless differences in temper, in taste and
in mental faculties, produce necessarily variety in
opinions. Can God be displeased with such variety
when it is his own work ? He requires no uniformity
except with regard to an upright heart and a clear
conscience, which are indispensable. Different
countenances in the human race not only dis-

79

anguish one person from another, but promote so
ciety by leading us to choose a friend, an associate,
a partner for life. Difference in opinion and senti
ment have still more beneficial effects. They rouse
the attention, give exercise to the understanding,
and sharpen the reasoning faculties. With respect
to religion in particular, perfect uniformity which
furnishes no subject of thinking or reasoning,
produces languor in divine worship, and makes
us sink into cold indifference. How foolish
then is the rage of making proselytes! Strict uni»
formity in other matters may be compared to a
spring day, calm and serene : neither so hot as
to make us drop a garment, nor so cold as to re
quire an addition: no wind to ruffle; no rain to
make shelter necessary. We enjoy the sweet
scene for a moment. We walk; we sit; we muse
— but soon fall asleep. Agitation is the element of
man and the life of society. Let us not attempt
to correct the woiks of God, for the attempt will
betray us into absurd errors."
Lord Kaimes.

Note 3.
Page 11.
Only one Interpolation.
The authenticity of the two first Chapters of
St. Matthew and of St. Luke has indeed been

so

called in question, but no new objection has been
started, and it is acknowledged that they are found
in every antient manuscript and version. That
there are chronological difficulties in the events re
corded in those chapters, is readily allowed.
Those difficulties Dr. Lardner has fully and im
partially stated and examined, and there never was
a more able, laborious and candid investigator of
the facts recorded in the Gospel History. But the
Dr. never entertained the idea that the authenticity
of those Chapters was at all affected by those
Chronological difficulties, and he was clearly of
opinion that Christ was born a year and half, or
two years before the dealh of Herod.
Such was the esteem in which the first Christi
ans held the sacred writings, and such their high
sens.e of the value of- these writings, that they
chose ralher to part with their lives than give them
up. We may therefore justly suppose that they
would be, and we know in fact that they were, very
cautious and scrupulous in distinguishing, the
genuine writings of the Apostles from the spurious
writings which abounded in those times. So that
unlearned Christians of the present day, in re
ceiving the books of the New Testament, may rest
satisfied that they do not follow cunningly devised
fables, but those writings which contain a faithful
account of the power and coming of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and which are able to make them
wise unto Salvation.
It has been said that the events mentioned in
the beginning of Matthew and Luke have a fabu
lous appearance. The same may be said respect
ing all the miracles recorded in the New Testa
ment. But this objection would come with a bet-

81

(it grace, from the mouth of a Deist, than from
that of a Christian.

Note 4.
Page 22.
Opposite Extremes.
'* How could the Arians, in the time of Con*
stantius and Valens, bring themselves to such an
odious and persecuting temper? how could they
oppress their fellow Christians, the Trinitarians,
who, supposing them to have been in an error, fell
into it through a religious fear of ascribing too
little to their Redeemer, and of not paying him
sufficient honour.
Can a man love his Saviour and hate his
brother for a mistake of this kind? And how
could the Trinitarians persuade themselves that an
Arian, who perhaps had suffered for professing
Christianity in times of distress, who believed
Christ to be his Maker, his King and his Judge,
would chuse to detract from his dignity and to of
fend him in whom he placed all his hopes of sal
vation? Human nature is not capable of this folly.
And if the man was in an error, yet in such a per
son the error must have been involuntary; a mere
defect of the understanding and not a fault of the
will. A Christian and a lover of peace, who lived in
obscurity and whose name I cannot tell, stood up

82

and' said", " My brethren, the things to be believed
are few; the things to be done are many. But you
behave yourselves as if the reverse of this were
true. St. Paul tells you, ' the grace of God that
bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men,
teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and' godly
in the present world, looking for that blessed hope
and the glorious appearing of the great God, and
of our Saviour Jesus Christ.' Concerning the na
ture of Jesus, you can dispute incessantly, and con
cerning the word grace, you will pFobably dis
pute no less, but the rest of the sentence you dis
regard, as of small consequence or importance.
What, I beseech you, must the Jews and Pagans
conceive of you and your religion? And what do
the holy Angels think, who look down upon your
contentions? Those blessed and compassionate
spirits pity you, and think you- mere children.
But when from contending,.you proceed to beating
your fellow servants, to persecuting and destroying,
they consider you as most malicious and wicked
children;, their pity is changed into indignation,
and they would strike you dead, if the Supreme
Governor did not stay their hand and remind them
that such disorders must needs arise and shall one
day be rectified." So said this unknown, but be
hold the consequence. The Trinitarians called
him an Arian, and the Arians called him a Trinit
arian." Jortin.

83
Note 5.
Page 26.
Defective in Candour and Liberality.
That Calvinistic Ministers have less candour
than those of the opposite description, I may il
lustrate by the following observation. In my
various journies, I have visited and gone to hear
Ministers of the former persuasion, but was never
asked by one of them to preach, (the minister at
Clapham excepted) whilst T have been invariably
invited by those of the latter. I acknowledge that
Ministers ought to be cautious whom they ask to
officiate for them. With respect to myself, it has
been my rule to ask every minister who has had a
regular education, without paying any regard to
his peculiar sentiments. But if he thought it his
duty to introduce his sentiments, whether Cal
vinistic or Socinian, intomy pulpit, I should think
"it my duty not to ask him a second time, because I
do not wish to have that pulpit the theatre of con-
•troversy. These observations lead my thoughts to a scene
which took place at Oldbury double lecture,
between thirty and forty years ago. Mr.
Jackson, of Coventry, who was one of the
Preachers, nominated for the following year, a
young Calvinistic Minister, who thought fit to in
troduce his own peculiar tenets, on what ought to
be considered as neutral ground. He, in his
turn, nominated 'a preacher of the same de
scription, and thus it continued for three years, to
thc great dissatisfaction of those who had not been

84

accustomed to this controversial style of preach
ing. It became now necessary that some alteration
should take place, and there was only this alterna
tive, either those ministers who found themselves
publicly attacked, must as publicly defend their
principles, or the nomination must be taken out of
the bands of those who made it a party business :
the latter of these was judged the best mode of pro
ceeding, by the ministers who regularly attended.
Accordingly, on the day on which Mr. Timothy
Priestley preached, and on which his brother, the
Doctor, chose to be absent from motives of deli
cacy, after much debate, I made the following mo
tion, " that from thenceforth, the nomination of
the Preaihers should be vested in the Minister of
the Place, who certainly had a right to judge
whether his pulpit should be made the scene of
Controversy or not." This motion was carried, in
consequence of which, the Calvinistic Ministers,
who had never been accustomed to attend regu
larly, seceded, and set up a lecture of (heir own.
The business closed with a liltle paper war between
me and my worthy snecessor at West-Bromwich.
But in order to shew that we had no wish to ex
clude Calvinistic Ministers as such, but only those
who must needs introduce their peculiar tenets,
both in season and out of season, Mr. Procter
nominated Mr. Barrett, the Independent Minister
at Kidderminster, for the following year.
Ever since that peiiod, peace and harmony
have reigned both at Dudley and Oldbury Lec
ture. Yet there ha* been some danger of its being
interrupted by ministers of another description;
who, more zealous than discreet, have thought fit

85

to introduce their peculiar tenets. These persons
cannot plead in their excuse, as the Calvinist*
may, that they regard a belief in their sentiments
as essential to salvation, and therefore deem it right
to enforce them on all occasions. I have more than
once intended to remonstrate and to enter my pro
test against such a conduct, but either the intro
duction of some other subject, or an unwillingness
to interrupt the harmony of the meeting has kept
me silent. Indeed at the most obnoxious discourse
of this nature I was absent.

Note 6.
Page 20.
Whether it be called Socinian, Priestleyan
or Unitarian.
I do not see why tte followers of Socinus
should object to the term Socinian, any more than
the followers of Arius, Calvin or Arminius do to
their respective appellations. Will they say that it
is a term of reproach? so also is that of Arians.
Will they say that they are not Socinians because
they do not regard Christ as the object of prayer
which Socinus did? For the same reason I mioht
object to the term Arian; for I believe I am as
much above Arius in my idea of the person of
Christ, as the modern Socinians are below Socinus.
But I know of no term that better expresses my
sentiments on this subject than that of a hi»h
1

86

Arian. I use the word Socinian not as a term of
reproach, but as clearly pointing out those christi
ans, who disbelieve the pre-existence and atone
ment of Christ.
The vague and indiscriminate use of (he terra
Unitarian has occasioned much misunderstanding
and misrepresentation amongst Christians, and
especially in the late Bostonian Controversy.
Some in England who exclusively style them
selves Unitarians, have represented their cause as
having made considerable progress in America.
But they are certainly mistaken, as will appear
from the following extracts from one of the excel
lent pamphlets of Channing, Minister of the
Church of Christ, in Federal-street, Boston.
" As far as I understand the prevalent senti
ments among liberal christians in this quarter of
our country, they appear to me substantially to
agree with the views of those excellent men (Dr.
S. Clarke and the Author of Bible News), and
were we icquired to select human leaders in re
ligion, 1 believe, that we should range ourselves un
der their standard in preference to any other.
Dr- Clarke believed that the Father alone is the
Supreme God, and that Jesus Christ derived his
being and all his power and honours from the
Father, even from an act of the Father's power and
will. He maintains, that as the Scriptures have not
taught us the manner in which the Son derived his
existence from his Father, it is presumptuous to
affirm, that the Son was created, or that there was
a time when he did not exist. With respect
to the Atonement, the great body of liberal christi
ans seem to me to accord precisely with the

87

Author of " Bible News," or rather both agree
with the profound Butler. Both agree that Jesus
Christ, by his sufferings and intercession, obtains
forgiveness for sinful men, or, that on account, or
in consequence of what Christ has done and suffer
ed, the punishment of sin is averted from the peni
tent, and blessings, forfeited by sin, are bestowed.
On the question which is often asked, how the death
of Christ has this blessed influence, they generally
think that thc Scriptures have given us little light,
and that it is the part of wisdom to accept (he
kind appointment of God, without constructing
theories for which the materials must be chiefly
borrowed from our own imagination."
" It is an indisputable fact, that Dr. Priestley
and Mr. Belsham have comparatively but few fol
lowers, among the Anti-tiinitarian clergy of this
country. For myself, I have read very few of the
writings of these gentlemen, chiefly from want of
sympathy with their general views. Their theology
appears to me very defective : and their theory of
materialism and necessity, which they have at
tempted to incorporate with their theology, seems
to me unfriendly to a sense of responsibility, and to
elevation of moral fetling. Are we then to be con
founded with the lower Unitarians, because we hap
pen to accord with them in the great point, that the
Father alone is the Supreme God, and that Jesus
Christ derives from Him his being and all his
powers? Do any ask me on what ground I admit
those, whose theology is so defective, to be Christi
ans? I answer, precisely on the grpund on which
I acknowledge the christian character of another
denomination, whose additions to the simple gos-
i2

88

pel seem to me at least as exceptionable as the
deficiencies of their brethren. But what did I say?
that / admit these men to be christians! They need
no admission of mine. Professing Jesus to be
l heir head, and exhibiting in their lives a reverence
for his gospel, they have a place in Christ's
Church, which I did not give, and which neither I
nor any other man can take away.''
These quotations I have inserted for three
reasons : —
1. Because they shew the general sentiments
of the Anti-trinitarian party in Boston and its
neighbourhood. 2. On account of the candid and liberal
spirit which they breathe.
3. Because they exactly express my own
suitiments.

Note 7.
Page 29.
The Established Churclu
I do not separate from the Established Church,
as many Dissenters do, because, it is a civil Estab
lishment. I do not object to its making use of a
Liturgy, for I use one myself. I do not dissent on
account, of its Episcopal government, because I
think that both Episcopal and Presbyterian church
government may plead Apostolic authority. I do
not quarrel with its rites and ceremonies, for they

89

serve at least to keep up the attention. Nor do I
dissent on account of its being chargeable with
some defects, for all human institutions must of
necessity be defective, and I regard its excellencies
as far more numerous and important than its de
fects. The line, therefore, which separates me from
the Established Church is narrow, but it is strongly
marked and clearly defined : viz.— its subscription
to the thirty-nine articles; its Trinitarian worship,
and the Athanasian Creed. And though I was not
ordained by a Bishop or a Presbytery, yet being or
dained by laying on the hands of those learned
and excellent Presbyters, Dr. Ashworth, Dr. Fur
neaux, and Mr. Hampton, of Banbury, I look upon
my ordination as equally valid, and myself as
much entitled to the appellation of Reverend, as
those who have been ordained by either of the for
mer. And as I have farther made the declaration
and taken the oaths required by an Act passed un
der his present most excellent majesty, I thankfully
enjoy the civil immunities to which I am legally
entitled. As a friend to the Established Church, I
could wish that its doors were opened somewhat
wider, because it would lessen tne number of its
op'ponents ; but that is a matter which concerns its
own members more than it does me. I am per
fectly satisfied with the full toleration which I en
joy-

i3

90
Note 8.
Page 29.
Useful in its Institutions.
On this subject I insert an extract which I-
made from a sermon of the late Rev. Thomas Ur
wick, of Clapham, from Exod. xxxii. 26.
" In many places, and under many forms, the
standard of religion and virtue is held up by the
faithful servants of God and the disciples of Jesus.
Whoever holds it up, and in whatever form it is dis
played, true christians should unite themselves un
der it. I am a dissenter from the form of religion
established in this country. But 1 can truly say
I am a cordial friend to that establishment. I
should be sorry to see it shaken. It holds out the
Essentials of true Christianity to the World. It
makes the profession of it respectable. But on the
other hand, as a dissenter from the established Re
ligion, lam zealous for the support of the dissent
ing interest. I am grieved whenever I see it de
cline, and am zealous not only for its support but
its increase.' The interest of religion among dis
senters gives firmness and vigour to its interest in
the established church, and the ministers of both
will be more useful when they provoke one
another to love and good works. The Church
of England and the Dissenters from this church
are nothing in my esteem, and are nothing re
ally good, but as they promote the power and
practice of true religion in the minds and under-

91
standings of men. I say all this the more freely,
because I say it at a time of life, when nothing
selfish can be imputed to the declaration, and in a
place, where my conduct has been in full con
formity to it."
Having been four years a colleague wilh this
worthy and useful Minister, 1 can add my testi
mony to that declaration which he makes respect
ing himself, and shall here subjoin a few particulars
of his life. He was born of respectable Parents,
in the neighbourhood of Shrewsbury, and having
attained a competent share of classical learning,
spent part of his academical course under the
tuition of Dr. Doddridge, at Northampton. -
The remainder of it was at Glasgow, under
Dr. Leechman, whose celebrity as Divinity Pro
fessor attracted many students to enjoy the benefit
of his Lectures.
The first place at which he settled was Worces
ter, where he was assistant to a great uncle of
mine, the Reverend Joseph Carpenter; and upon
his decease succeeded him as Pastor of the con
gregation. Here he resided for many years, res
pected and beloved: till at length sighing after
retirement he went and settled at Narborough, a.
village near Leicester.
But retirement was not suited to his active
mind and his ministerial talents were too well
known to suffer him to remain long in obscurity.
He received an invitation from the respectable Con
gregation at Clapham, to succeed their late Pastor
Dr. Furneaux. Here a large field of usefulness
presented itself to his active and benevolent mind.
His acquaintance and friendship was much sought

92

after, and valued by persons of eminence both in
the Church and among the Dissenters. He was
well acquainted with men, possessed much of that
wisdom which is profitable to direct and was emi
nently useful to his congregation and friends both
in their temporal and spiritual concerns. He was
particularly serviceable to young men ; in advising
and directing them to proper situations, and amongst
the rest to the celebrated Joseph Lancaster, from
whom, a few weeks ago I received the following par
ticulars of his Life. He was born of pious parents in
London, and when he was about fifteen years old,
felt so deep, though misguided a sense of religion,
that he resolved to retire from the World and de
vote himself to God in some remote and secluded
part of the Earth. With this view he went to
Bristol. But the little substance he took with him
being soon exhausted, he was obliged to enter on
board a Tender. Here he commenced a Preacher
to the Sailors ; and though at first he was treated
with ridicule, yet afterwards his plain and heartfelt
addresses made a serious impression on their minds.
In the mean time his parents were much afflicted
at his loss and though they were acquainted with
his situation could afford him no relief. At this
time it accidently or rather providentially happened
that Mr. Urwick going into the shop of his father
to purchase some trifling article, found his mother
in tears, and inquiring the cause, was so much af
fected with the account she gave him of her son
that he made application to persons of influence
and obtained an order for his release. Lancaster
was surprised to see an officer of rank come on
board and not only take him on shore, but supply

93

him with money and clothes for his journey from
Plymouth to London. By this time he was con
vinced, as he told me, that no life can be pleasing
to God which is not useful to man. Accordingly
he set up a school; but though the number of his
scholars soon became considerable, yet his pay was
so small and so often withheld, that necessity,
which is the mother of invention, led him by de
grees to find out that plan of Education which
has been found so useful and which goes by his
name. But to return to the subject of our brief me
moirs. I have observed that Mr. Urwick possessed
a considerable share of that wisdom which is profit
able to direct. It may be deemed an exception
to this part of his character, that he was fond
of building houses, for he erected no less a number
than four, in each of which at the time of building,
he intended to spend the remainder of his life, but
in neither of them did he end his days. How
ever they served to amuse his leisure hours: I was
often a witness to the pleasure which he took in
planing the last house and in receiving accounts
of its progress. This was near the spot where he
drew his first breath, and when it was completed,
he sent forwards his servants and his household
furniture. Soon afterwards he himself having ta
ken what I believe he thought a final farewel of
his friends at Clapham, though uot a formal one, he
entered on his journey for Shrewsbury. But in the
midst of it he was attacked by a disorder to which
he was liable and obliged to return immediately
to London for surgical assistance. I was standing
one morning at his door on Clapham Common,.

94

when a Coadi stopped and to my surprise and
grief I saw my respected friend descend from it
pale, emaciated, and almost like a corpse. He en
tered his house, which was destitute of furniture
and servants, when he stood in need of every ac
commodation and every attendance. But the man
ner in which he bore this trial was a striking proof
of his fortitude and the power of religion. He
survived this illness for some yeais, but never made
any farther attempt to leave Clapham. In his
sentiments Mr. Urwick was a high Arian, and when
we were conversing on this subject, he has some
times observed that we Arians entertain more ex
alted idt>as of the person of Christ- than any other
christians- except those who believe m hn's self-
existence, and that he has a distinct will from the
Father; and who entertaining thc same idea re
specting the Holy Ghost, may be properly stiled
Tritheists, though they would still maintain, what
appears to others an inconsistency, the unity of
the Godhead. But my worthy Friend thought it
of more importance to indulge candour towards
his fellow christians who differed from him, than
to entertain accurate ideas on this mysterious sub
ject. I was once visiting with him a very respect
able Lady of our Congregation,, who said to him
in an angry tone of voice, '* Mr. Urwick, I heard
you positively assert from the pulpit the pre-exist-
ence of Christ!" to which he calmly replied, " But,
Madam, you did not hear me condemn those who
do not believe it."
He was a man of punctuality; and Lavater
justly observes that the evils arising for the want
of punctuality are incalculable. He made a rule,

95

which I scarcely ever knew him violate, when he
received an invitation to dinner, to be at the
house a quarter of an hour before the time fixed
for dining. His distinguishing characteristic was simplici
ty—simplicity in his compositions, simplicity in his
delivery, simplicity in his dress and simplicity in
his manners. This was peculiar to himself; but
what he possessed in common with many other
christians was unaffected piety towards God and
benevolence to men.
He was born December 8, 1727; died Fe
bruary 25, 1 807, and was twenty-six years Pastor
of the Congregation at Clapham. He rests from
his labours and his works do follow him.

Note 9.
Page 35.
Antinomians.
Of these there are the speculative and the
practical Antinomians. The former, although
they maintain that Christ having perfectly fulfilled
the moral Law for them, renders their observance
of it unnecessary, yet make it their concern to
obey that law. But the conduct of the practical
Antinomians corresponds with their principles.
When Hived at West Bromwich, I was invited to
the Funeral of one of this latter description. He
had formerly been a member of the Dissent-

96

ing Congregation at that place, but afterwards
thought himself above the need of religious ordi
nances, and when the minister of the place passed
by his house to go to public worship, would some
times come to his door with a pen in his hand or
stuck under his hair, in order to shew how un
necessary he thought the observance of the Sab
bath.- The following incident may serve to shew
what his moral character was. — Returning home
one evening in a state of intoxication, he was met
by a neighbour, who offered to go with him.
" No," said Mr. P. " go on, the Lord will take care
of me." But he had not proceeded far before he
felLinto a deep ditch, and was in danger of suffo
cation. To the funeral of this person I was in
vited with the Curate of the Parish; who, on that
occasion said to the brother of the deceased :
" Mr. P. I hope the death of your brother will be
sanctified to your benefit." To which he replied,
"I hope it will: I do indeed sometimes commit
what is sinful; but then my conscience always re
proaches me for it" Upon this, one of the com
pany said, " Your conscience reproaches you for
sin! you talk like a babe in Christ: there are babes,
and those who have arrived at the stature of per
fection in Christ Jesus, but you talk quite like a
babe; a believer can't sin." I said to him, '' Do you
then never emmit what is sinful?" He answered,
" No, never, 1 am got into a delightful country, I
have now nothing to do but to sing praises." When
we came out of the house, a person informed us
that this man was a publican of an infamous and
notorious character.

97
Note 10.
Page 37.
A Solitary Instance.
I allude here to the Birmingham Riots, in
17°1> Quorum pars sed non magna fui. These
bore a considerable resemblance to the disgraceful
scenes which have lately taken place in the South
of France. But as the English character is dif
ferent from that of the French, there was no blood
shed in the former instance. In both cases the
persecution was partly political and partly religi
ous: and has fixed an indelible stain on the towns
of Birmingham and Nismes. I do not, however
mean to exculpate those individuals whose indis
creet zeal awakened that party spirit which was
greatly diminished, and blew up those flames which
were gradually dying away. In the neighbouring
town where I lived, a' spirit of liberality had been
gaining ground for many years, when those ac
cursed scenes at Birmingham threw back the cause
of candour and liberality for more thaii a.
century. I have always regarded and always found the
most violent declaimcrs for civil and religious liber
ty to be its greatest enemies. Indeed it is in the .
very nature of violence to defeat it's own ends.
Bold and confident assertions, especially from men
of considerable abilities and learning may have
great influence with the unlearned and unthinking!
but they will not avail much with persons of a dif
ferent description. Violent assaults on the mind
K

98
close up the avenues to conviction, and if I were
ever to change my sentiments, I should sooner
yield to the mild persuasion of a Lindsey or a
Toulmin than to the bold and decisive, not to say
dogmatical assertions of authors of a more confident
tone and a more sanguine temperament.

Note 11.
Page 37.
To what shall we ascribe this declension ?
I do not mean wholly to exculpate myself and
my brethren ; I think our mode of preaching is
addressed too much to the understanding and too
little to the affections. That it is too far removed
from the common business and the common feel
ings of men. We may convince our hearers of the
importance of attending public worship, but unless
we make our services interesting and impressive,
our exhortations will probably have but little ef
fect. I would recommend to the young student
and minister, the perusal of some of the Antient
Fathers, such as Augustine and Chrysostom, some
of the puritan writers, such as Howe, Baxter and
Flavel, and also some of the best French preachers,
both among the Catholics and Protestants, namely,
Masilon, Saurin, Superville, &c.

99
Note 12.
Page 53.
Scriptural Doxalogies.
When I commenced a preacher at the
Academy, in the last year of my course, I preached
one Sunday for my tutor, Dr. Ashworth, which it
was customary for the senior Students to do oc
casionally. , It was also customary for the Doctor
to call them afterwards into his study (which we
named Purgatoryj in order to make any remarks
which he judged proper on their services, and to
point out any errors or defects. To this place I
was summoned, when the Doctor asked me, for
what reason I had omitted the usual doxology,
which was as follows, " To whom with Thee and
the Holy Spirit be everlasting praises." I answered,
that this doxology was cpmmbn.lv regarded as a
proof that a person believed in the Trinity, where
as I did not. The Doctor replied that it was by no
means a proof of this: which I acknowledged, but"
thought it was generally regarded in that light,,
and therefoie it seemed to me best to make use
mI scriptural doxalogies. When I returned to my
class-fellows, viz. Messrs. Worthington, Uewnumr
Fawcett and Toms, I told them what had passed;
when after canvassing the subject we" each of us
agreed from that time to make use of no other
than scriptural doxologies.
I do not know whether I was too fastidious or
not on the occasion mentioned above. But I did
what I thought right at the time. I could then,
B 2

100
and I can now, conscientiously adopt what was
called the Daventry Doxology; for I think that I
do in fact ascribe praise to each of the three divine
persons when I make use of the usual form of Bap
tism and also when 1 use the Scriptural Benedic
tion, " Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God and the communion of the
Holy Spirit be with you all."
It may also be said, that since I regard Christ
as under God, the Maker, the Governor, the Re
deemer and the Judge of the World, I ought not
only to regard him as the object of praise, but also
of prayer. To which I answer, That though I
think there are in the Scriptures a few instances of
the Apostles praying to Christ, yet there is no pre
cept to that effect. Indeed our Lord seems rather
to have forbidden it when he says, " In that day ye
shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto
you, whatever ye shall ask the Father in my name,
he will give it you." But the Father gives it
through the mediation of his Son. For in the
same address to his disciples, he says, " Whatsoever
ye shall ask in my name, that will I do." And
this appears to be a wise constitution of things,
for if we were taught to address our prayers to
Christ, there would be danger of our overlooking the
Father -though he -is- always present with us. And
this is too much the case in the Church of Rome,
where prayers are addressed not only to Christ, but
to his Mother, according to the flesh, and also to
an innumerable company of Angels and Saints.

101
Note 13.
Page 69.
A Throne of grace, Sfc.
Some of my Unitarian Brethren have objected
to the sentence in which these words are found, and
allege that I have not given a fair statement ot
their sentiments. They say that they do believe
and rejoice that there is a throne of grace, at
which we may obtain mercy and find grace; and
also that we have a High-priest, who is touched
with the feeling of our infirmities. It was not my
intention to deny this, but I am now sensible that I
was not sufficiently accurate or sufficiently full in
the statement which I made. I would therefore
make the following alteration, which I apprehend
will meet the ideas of those gentlemen who were'
present when this subject was discussed.
The generality of Christians must have; a
Saviour who is more than human : they must have
an atoning sacrifice; they must have a Throne of
Grace, where they may apply not only for mercy
to pardon (as the Socinians allow): but also for
grace to help them in time of need, (which many of
them do not allow if by grace we mean the im
mediate assistance of the Holy Spirit) and they
must have a High-priest who is touched with the
feeling of their infirmities, (which the Socinians
allow they have) and also that he is now actively
employed in promoting the welfare of Christians,
but they do not allow that he intercedes for them
K 3

102
or pleads their cause in thc common acceptation of
the word. In the present publication,- I had two objects
in view. The first and principal of which was,
to recommend peace and charity to christians
of different denominations; and thc second
to state, and as occasion offered, to vindicate my
own sentiments ; but I had no wish to enter in
to any controversy on the subject. Having de
voted a sufficient portion of my time to the dis
cussion of controverted points, and having made
up my mind on the doctrines of religion to my
own satisfaction, 1 would endeavour, during the re
mainder of life, to cultivate and feel the practical
influence of those doctrines.
During the former part of my ministry I was-.
sometimes engaged in controversy with those who
were more calvinistic than myself, and during the
latter part of it, with those who are less so. In
deed during the former period I had a controversy
with Dr. Priestley, in the Theological Repository,.
respecting. Christ as the delegated Maker and Vice
gerent of the Solar System.
Between twenty and thirty years ago, at the
tifne when Dr. Priestley's writings were much read,
and excited some commotion in the Christian.
Church, a few of us, whose sentiments were dif
ferent from those of the Doctor, agreed to meet at
Chapel House, and to form the plan of a publica
tion in defence of our own opinions. The party
consisted of Messrs. Crabbe, Worthington, Heinekin,
Geary and myself, and we agreed to write on
the following subjects, thc Inspiration of the
Scriptures, the Pre-existence of Christ, the Atone-

103
ment, and Divine Influences. How the several
subjects were distributed, I do not recollect; but
this, like many other confederacies, came to no
thing with respect to its main object. It answered
indeed this end; wc spent two or three days to
gether in a very pleasant and friendly manner. \
However, in consequence of this Meeting, Mr.
Worthington and I wrote down a few hints res
pecting the Pre-cxistence and Atonement of Christ.
To these I afterwards made some additions in con
sequence of Mr. Belsham's Letters on the celebrated
publication of Mr. Wilberforce. But the paper*
>vould perhaps have remained in my drawer, had it
not been for a sermon which my friend Belsham
sent me on the opinions respecting the Person of
Christ. This excited some surprize, a small por
tion of indignation, and a sufficient degree of zeal
to publish my Lectures on the doctrines of Revela
tion. But I am now stating facts, and not dis
cussing points.
Yet I am not an enemy to all controversy. It
exercises the faculties of the mind, is a trial of our
meekness and charity, and serves to keep the
Christian World from stagnation, for these reasons,
1 apprehend, a foundation was laid for it in the
sacred Scriptures. But the motto " Ne quid nimis,"
may justly be applied to this subject. And con
troversy, though it may be useful to others, is not
always so to the persons who engage in it. It is
not favourable to a spirit of devotion, or to a spirit
of benevolence and kindness. And there are two
considerations which may well blunt the keen edge
of controversy. The first is the consideration of that state ef

104
ignorance in which we are placed. The present
-was intended to be rather a state of action than of
knowledge, and those who have approached nearest
the truth probably lie under many errors.
The other consideration is, our mortality and
short duration upon Earth. Where now are the
mighty disputants of their times? They lie down
alike in the dust, and possess together the peace of
the grave. There Athanasius and Arius, Calvin
and Arminius, Horsley and Priestley, with respect
to the mortal part of their natures, have mouldered
or are mouldering away alike. With respect to
their immortal spirits, they are no longer angry
disputants, and if their names are found written in
the Lamb's Book of Life, as I trust they are, it is
not in the character of able and learned contro
versialists in thc Church of Christ, but in that of
sincere and faithful members of that Church.

J1UNTED BY J. BELCHER AND SON, BIUMINGIJ ASf.

ADVERTISEMENT. —**¦»*•—
THE first Edition was published chiefly
with a view for distribution in the Congregations
cf Stourbridge and Cradley. As the Author did
not intend to send any copies to a London Book
seller, he has procured a few Subscribers, to assist
in defraying the expence of printing, of which the
following is a list.

FOUR SERMONS

ON

CHRISTIAN PEACE fy UNITY.
First Edition, Is. Od.
Second Edition, with Notes, &c. 2s. 6cL

SUBSCRIBERS.

Rev. James Scott - -

lrt

Edition.
100

$nfl Edition, 4

Samuel Shore, Esq,

- -

10

10

J. Burgess, Esq. - -

- -

10

10

Thomas Jefferys, Esq. -

- -

0

s

Bayes Cotton, Esq.

- -

4

4

5

5

Mrs. Cambden - -
- -
5
5
55
W Edition. IniEMtUn.
Mrs. Rebecca Wilkinson - - 5 5
Mr. G. Talbot - - - - 8 2
Mr. Hanco* ------ 5 5
Mr. Thomas Carpenter! - - 5 5
Mr. Jacksbh - - - - - 4' 4
Mr. J. Lant ------ 4 4
Mi*. J. Campion ----- 4 4>
Rev. James Whitehead - - 5 5
Mr. W. Hornblower - - - 5 5

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