thority of Mr. Horne Tooke, from whose letter to Mr. Dunning, or Exeα ПTEρоEVTα, he may learn, that in the commerce of intellect Articles, Particles, and Conjunctions, are not such contemptible matters as he would have his reader suppose. They who know how to value the stability of their own faith, or the unity of the Christian church, will think themselves infinitely obliged to Mr. Sharp for his Remarks, and for shewing them, that from the legitimate and grammatical construction of the New Testament results one of the strongest evidences, and in itself an irrefragable proof, of the divinity of Christ. On this firm ground of literal testimony we may securely take our stand, as stewards of the mysteries of God;" which nothing should induce us to relinquish ; not all the arts of ridicule, and hardy assertion, and ungrammatical misrepresentation." The bishop closes his address with proposing an association in his diocese, the objects of which are, "1. To distribute Bibles, Common-prayer Books, and other religious tracts, in Welsh and English, among the poor, especially such tracts as are recommended by the London " Society for propagating Christian knowledge." 2. To establish libraries for the use of the clergy of the diocese. "3. To facilitate the means of education to young men intended for the ministry of the church of England in this diocese, whe are educated in the diocese. "4. To encourage the establishing of English schools for the benefit of the poor; and "5. To promote the institution of Sunday-schools." In consequence of this proposal, a meeting was held of the Rural Deans, at the Palace of Abergwilly, Oct. 10, 1804, when a Society was formed for promoting Chrisan Knowledge and Church-union in the diocese of St. David's. The particulars of this seasonable Institution, which we hope will be imitated in other dioceses throughout the united kingdom, we shall give in our next number. An 1. An Attempt to illustrate those Articles of the Church England which the Calvinists improperly consider as Cal vinistical, in Eight Sermons, preached before the Uni versity of Oxford, in the Year 1804, at the Lecture founded by J. BAMPTON, M. A. Canon of Salisbury. By RICHARD LAURENCE, L.L. D. of University Col lege. 8vo. [Concluded from page 382.] F the confession and offices of the English church ever received any thing like a calvinistical tint, it must have been after the Marian persecution, when many of the protestant exiles returned with favourable sentiments to the doctrine and discipline of the Genevan reformer. That such an innovation, however, never did take place, is satisfactorily proved by Dr. Laurence, who gives the following account of the convocation which met at the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth, for the purpose of revising the liturgy. "Instead of increasing the number of the articles, they diminished them; instead of extending their sense, so as to make them embrace a greater proportion of speculative tenets, they contracted them, and appeared in every case more disposed to extinguish difference of opinion, than to augment it by adding fuel to a flame, already rising above controul. In one or two instances indeed, additions, or rather additional elucidations, were admitted. Of the tendency however of these we cannot doubt, when we learn, that, with the exception of one obvious topic alone, they were not original; that they were neither the productions of Parker nor the convocation; and that they were not borrowed from any Calvinistical or Zuinglian, but from a Lutheran creed. The creed to which I allude is the confession of Wirtembergh, which was exhibited in the Council of Trent the very year, when our own articles were completely arranged by Cranmer. That their resemblance to this composition should have been hitherto overlooked is the more remarkable, because it seems too visible, one would conceive, to have escaped the notice of the most superficial observer. For it was not confined to a mere affinity of idea, or the occasional adoption of an individual expression; but in some cases entire extracts were copied, without the slightest omission or minutest variation." A very able and well drawn character of Calvin fol lows, and it is proved beyond all question, that whatever respect might be attached to his personal merits and talents, yet, that his opinions were by no means then held in that estimation which his modern admirers would claim for them. In turning therefore to the doctrines of the most learned Lutherans of that period, for the important purpose of ascertaining the meaning of our articles, the lecturer has acted most judiciously, and completely broken all the weapons offensive and defensive of those who assert the Calvinism of our church. It is true, and some predestinarians have taken advantage of it, that about the beginning of the Reformation, the stoical doctrines of fa talism and necessity were much dwelt upon and defended; but this metaphysical and scholastical jargon gave way to a more rational and scriptural system before the formation of our articles and homilies. This point is stated and clearly proved by Dr. Laurence in the following note. "Nimis horrida fuerunt initio Stoica disputationes apud nostros de fato, et disciplina nocuerunt.” Melanct. Epist. lib. iii. epist. 44. "At the commencement of the Reformation, both Melancthon and Luther held the harsh doctrine of a Philosophical Ne-" cessity. To this the former alludes in his letter to Cranmer, from which the above passage is taken. See it quoted at length, note 6. After the diet of Augsbourgh in the year 1530, the obnoxious tenet was no more heard of. Indeed, so early as in 1527, these reformers appear to have abandoned it; at least when in that year a form of doctrine was drawn up for the churches of Saxony, free-will in acts of morality was thus inculcated; "Voluntas humana est ita libera, ut facere aliquo modo possit justitiam carnis seu justitiam civilem, ubi lege et vi cogitur, ut non furari, non occidere, non mæchari-Propterea doceant, in nostri manu aliquo modo esse carnem frænare, et civilem justitiam præstare; et hortentur diligenter ad recte vivendum, quia Deus hanc quoque justitiam exigit, et graviter puniet illos, qui adeo negligenter vivunt. Nam sicut aliis donis Dei bene uti debemus, ita etiam viribus, quos Deus naturæ tribuit, bene uti debemus." Cap. de Libero Arbitrio. "Non enim delectatur Deus ista vitæ ferocitate quorundum, qui cum audierint non justificari nos viribus et operibus, somniant se velle expectare, a Deo donec trahantur, interea vivunt impurissime; hi maximas panas dabunt Deo. Sunt igitur valde objurgandi a docentibus in Ecclesia." Cap. de Lege. Articuli suspectionis Ecclesiarum SaxVol. VIII. Churchm. Mag. for June 1805. 3 N oniæ. oniæ. Edition of 1530. This work, which is generally termed, Libellus Visitationis Saxon.' was composed by Melancthon in German the year alluded to, and afterwards republished by Lu ther, with a preface, in which he thus expresses himself; "Non edimus hæc ut precepta rigorosa, nec Pontificia decreta denuo cudimus, sed historica et acta referimus, et confessionem et symbolum fidei nostra." See Seckendorf, lib. ii. sec. 13. § 86. When this publication first appeared, Erasmus (whose previous controversy with Luther upon the subject of free-will probably tended much to produce an amelioration of the Lutheran system) made the following reflections; "Indies mitescit febris Lutherana, adeo ut ipse Lutherus de singulis propemodum scribit palinodias, ac cæteris habeatur ob hoc ipsum hæreticus ac delirus." Anno 1528. Epistolæ, lib. xx. ep. 63. And again, lib. xx. epist. 67. "That Melancthon not only abandoned, but reprehended the doctrine in the year 1529, we cannot doubt, because his own express testimony in proof of it remains on record. In a letter to Christopher Stathmio, not long before his death, he notices the subject in these words: "Apud Homerum fortissimus bellator optat concordiam his verbis; ὡς ἔρις ἔκτε θέων, ἔκτε ἀνθρώπων Toro. Quanto magis me senem et infirmum optare pacem consentaneum est? Ante annos triginta, non studio contentionis, sed propter gloriam Dei, et propter disciplinam, reprehendi Stoica paradoxa de necessitate, quia et contra Deum contumeliosa sunt, et nocent moribus. Nunc mihi bellum inferunt Stoicorum phalanges, sed in qua sententia possint acquiescere mentes anxiæ, rursus moderate exposui in responsione quam Bavaricæ inquisitioni opposui."-March 20, 1559. Epist. Lib. Lond. p. 407. By consulting the tract, to which he himself alludes, we find him using this strong and unequivocal language; "Palam etiam rejicio et detestor Stoicos et Manichæos furores, qui affirmant omnia necessario fieri bonas et malas actiones, de quibus omitto hic longiores disputationes. Tantum oro juniores, ut fugiant has monstrosas opiniones, quæ sunt contumeliosæ contra Deum, et perniciosa moribus." Opera, vol. i. p. 370. "From his Loci Theologici, in which he had at first introduced it, he expunged this obnoxious tenet in the year 1535, inserting in its place the opposite one of contingency." Dr. Laurence subjoins to this important fact another of no less consequence, that Luther approved of this cor rection in his friend's work, and completely altered his mind on the subjects of fate and free-will. The learned lecturer having thus firmly established his position, that the articles were framed by Cranmer on the model of the reformed system of the Lutheran church, proceeds to develope the opinions that were then held held on the particular points of original sin, merit, freewill, and justification, These he has contrasted with the opinions of the scholastics on the same subjects, and in conclusion he shews the exact conformity between the decisions of our reformers, and those of their predeces sors in Germany. Our confined limits will not permit us to make any quotations from the lectures which treat of these articles: but the candid and serious reader will find in them much to edify and delight him in the perusal. The seventh lecture" states the outline of the predestinarian system as taught in the schools, and as christianized by Luther and Melancthon." What was the particular opinion of Luther on this subject, is thus concisely expressed, "To acquire any knowledge," he remarked, "of a Deity not revealed in scripture, to know what his existence is, his actions, and dispositions, belongs not to me; my duty is only this; to know what are his precepts, his promises, and his threatenings. Pernicious and pestilent is the thought of investigating causes, and brings with it inevitable ruin, especially when we ascend top high, and wish to philosophize upon Predestination." The scholastical doctrines which are those of the Ro man church, are perspicuously represented, in order to shew by the force of opposition what were the direct sentiments of the German reformers, and consequently of those in England. The opinions of the Lutherans as contrasted with the scholastic are thus stated: "It should previously however be observed, that although in the established confession of their faith all allusion to the subject was avoided, it was nevertheless introduced into another work of importance, and of considerable public authority, the Loci Theologici of Melancthon, a production, which, at the period under review, was every where received as the standard of Lutheran divinity, Both Luther and Melancthon, after their creed became permanently settled at the diet of Augsbourg, kept one object constantly in view; to inculcate only what was plain and practical, and never to attempt philosophizing. They perceived, that before the Reformation the doctrine of divine foreknowledge had been grossly misconceived and abused, although guarded by all the logic of the schools; and they felt, that, after it, they had themselves at first contributed to increase the evil, by grounding upon the same high argument, although for a very different purpose, the position of an infallible necessity; and 3 N 2 thence |