my ardent desire to promote your welfare, and my affectionate respect for your young Pastor, prompted me to consent, on the day of his Ordination, to address you from the pulpit, I little thought that obloquy and controversy were to result from the service of that day. But so it has happened. Some of your Unitarian neighbours have deemed it proper to make me an object of repeated attack, and my sermon on that occasion a subject of protracted and tedious discussion. I have seldom been more surprised than to find, that a few plain sentences, which were delivered under the impression that they contained nothing more than what was universally understood to be the sentiments of the Orthodox, should give such deep offence, and lead to so much waste of ink and paper. Nor can I yet account for the fact, but by supposing that the Unitarians in the United States are determined to make the experiment whether they can write themselves into notice and importance, and in prosecuting this experiment, resolve to let nothing, however trivial, escape their animadversion. If this be their plan, I make no complaint of its operation on me. I am not certain that any thing which has occurred, is to be, for a moment, regretted. On the contrary, a consciousness of having done my duty, has cheered me under the past; and if the following pages should prove in any degree useful to you or your children, I shall have reason unfeignedly to rejoice in what was, in itself, by no means desirable to a lover of peace.

"But, although the circumstances alluded to, have certainly given occasion to the present address, and have served to create, at once, an interest in your prosperity, and a freedom in approaching you, which I might not otherwise have felt in the same degree; yet I hope you will not consider these Letters as intended to answer any thing which has been recently published against me or my Sermon, by the Unitarian of Baltimore.' My account with that writer has been, long since, on my part, finally closed; and it is by no means my purpose to open or review it. Whatever may be the case hereafter, my resolution, as yet, remains unshaken, not to take the least notice of any thing from that quarter. And to this resolution I adhere, not merely because it has been once formed and announced; but also because the writer who has honoured me with so much hostile notice, has, happily, conducted his attacks in such a manner as to render defence altogether unnecessary.

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My object in writing at present is your benefit. It is to put you on your guard against a system of error, which I have no hesitation in considering as the most delusive and dangerous of all that have ever assumed the Christian name. This system its advocates in your neighbourhood, are endeavouring to recommend and establish with a zeal worthy of a better cause. From the pulpit and the press, by the formal volume, the humble pamphlet, and every variety of exhibition that ingenuity can devise, they are endeavouring to make an impression on the public mind. In every direction, and with a profusion of the most lavish kind, they are daily scattering abroad their instruments of seduction. Probably in no part of our country out of Massachusetts, do these poisoned agents so completely fill the air, or, like one of the plagues of Egypt, so noisesomely come up into your houses, your chambers, and your kneading troughs,' as in Baltimore."

From this extract it appears, that these letters were intended for the immediate benefit of the people to whom they are addressed. But doubtless their author had more extensive views in committing them to the press; and for ourselves, we deliberately think that no publication of equal importance, has lately appeared in our country. We did urgently need a manual, embracing the leading ideas in relation to this subject and controversy; a manual perspicuous in its method, judicious and sound in its matter, and interesting and popular in its manner. Some of our junior clergy needed it, our reading and inquisitive youth greatly needed it, and indeed our people at large much needed

it. And here they have it. Here, in the compass of a few hours reading-and very pleasant reading too-they may see a fair, and pretty full statement, of this whole controversy; about which they have heard so much, and of the details, merits and tendency of which, many of them have understood but little. The author of these letters tells us, that it is his "purpose to treat, in a very cursory manner, a few points in the controversy, chiefly practical." But we are glad to find that he has gone far beyond what this modest annunciation of his purpose would lead us to expect. His letters, indeed, do not, and from their limited nature could not, bring forward the great mass of scriptural authority, in regard to the controverted doctrines. Yet they do exhibit as much scriptural authority, and as much lucid and conclusive reasoning, on nearly all the great points in controversy between Trinitarians and Socinians, as we think necessary to satisfy and settle any mind, which is really open to the influence of truth: they also expose, in a just and striking manner, the destructive tendency of the Socinian heresy; they give a clear historical view of the light in which it has been regarded and treated by the real Church of Christ, from the apostolic age to the present time; and they show in what manner the subjects of this awful delusion ought now to be viewed and treated, by all who would sustain, with purity and consistency, their Christian character and profession.

Although these letters are controversial in their character, yet they are written with a spirit which we highly approve and admire. They maintain the truth with firmness and decision, but without acrimony. This we were led to expect, from the former publications of the author; and our expectation has, in no degree, been disappointed. Dr. Miller takes the ground, openly and unequivocally, that the Socinians are not to be considered as Christians at all. For this we think that the friends of vital piety throughout our country owe him their thanks, and their cordial support. There has, in our judgment, been among us a degree of sinful delicacy, in regard to this point. To us it seems that fidelity to our Master, attachment to essential truth, and. even the benevolence which we ought to feel toward Socinians themselves, all require the distinct and practical avowal, that those who have imbibed this heresy have no just pretensions whatever to the Christian name or character:-That the ground they occupy is altogether as dangerous as that which is taken by those who profess, in the most unqualified manner, that they are Deists. Indeed, as the Socinian has a bolster for his conscience which the avowed Deist has not, we consider the religious state of the former, as really more dangerous than that of the latter. But while the author of these letters places this matter on what we believe to be its right footing, he has, in our VOL. II.-Presb. Mag.

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apprehension, shown much candour and Christian meekness, in the manner in which he has done it; and in no instance, so far as we can discern, has said any thing merely with a view to irritate, or to recriminate.

It is difficult in any controversy, and most of all, perhaps, in religious controversy, to keep completely within the limits of the maxim-suaviter in modo, fortiter in re. Nay, we think it not easy to ascertain the exact degree of warmth, and even of apparent severity, which may not only be lawfully indulged, but sometimes even demanded by duty, when a doctrine is in controversy which is fundamental to the whole Christian system. They who can speak of errors in religion which are believed to sap the very foundation of a true believer's faith and hope, and the prevalence of which are considered as absolutely ruinous to the souls of men, with as little interest as that which they would exhibit in discussing a matter of abstract science, or of metaphysical speculation, are not, in our opinion, to be either envied or imitated. When a man pleads a cause which he and others deem to be of the highest importance, is he not always and rightfully expected to show that he is much in earnest; that his feelings as well as his understanding are deeply enlisted in all that he says? And what cause can pretend to compare, in point of importance, with that which is believed to involve the destinies for eternity, happy or awful beyond conception, of a multitude of immortal beings? Does not the New Testament show us, by striking examples, that there are some occasions, on which the language of severity, in its strongest expression, is lawful and proper?* We not only admit, but wish ever to keep in mind, that it should always be apparent, in the Christian advocate, that he has no personal hatred of those whom he opposes: That he would rejoice to reclaim them from their errors, and then to embrace them as brethren: That he says nothing merely for the sake of wounding their feelings: That his solicitude is, really and solely, to prevent the mischief, both to themselves and others, which they are labouring to effect. But the temper and manner here indicated, is perfectly consistent with the most plain, and earnest, and decided avowal, of the whole truth. It is consistent with making that truth not only palpable, but pungent. It is consistent with saying much that certainly will, and certainly ought, to wound the feelings of the advocates and propagators of destructive errors.

Can a man, who retains any measure of sensibility, avoid feeling pretty keenly, when a book is written which he is satisfied

Let the following passages be carefully considered, with a reference to this point. Matt. xxiii. 13-39. Acts iv. 8-12. v. 29-33. vii. 51-54. xiii. 9—11. 2 Cor. xvi. 22. Gal. i. 6-9. 2 Pet. 2, throughout; Jude throughout. There are many others of similar import.

will make the most of those who read it believe that he is a sophist; that his religious creed is a tissue of falsehoods; that he has justly forfeited his claim to the Christian name and character; that he is hastening to perdition himself, and drawing after him all who shall receive and rely upon his doctrines. None will affirm that such a man as this can never appear, and if he actually appears, benevolence itself must admit that it is very desirable that a book should be written, to make the public think of him in the manner that has been stated. And painful feelings must unavoidably be the consequence. For suppose the man to be convinced of his error-and a proper exposure is most likely to convince him-then he will be wounded to the very soul, by seeing the mischief which he has done, or attempted to do. And if he be not convinced, he must be of a peculiar make, if he experiences no unpleasant sensations, when he recollects that many will view him as the abettor of a system productive of the most awful consequences. In a word, convince the public that any set of men, whether designedly or not, are employing all their faculties to injure mankind in their most precious interests; that they are propagating delusions which will seal the perdition of those who embrace and continue in them ;—and it is folly in the abstract to suppose that these men will not suffer in their feelings. They must be without feeling, if they do not. Now the advocates of the orthodox Christian faith do honestly and firmly believe, that the writers of Socinian books, and the industrious propagators of Socinian doctrine, are exactly such

It is, therefore, hopeless to expose them, as they ought to be exposed, without giving them pain.

We have a little enlarged on this point, because we think we have heard some well meaning people talk weakly about it; and because it is one which Socinians are always pressing, in such a manner as to make it serve their own views, and disserve the cause of truth. Holding, as the most of them do, the entire innocence of error, they can discourse about it with great calmness; especially when by doing so they think they can gain an advantage in an argument; and they affect to wonder, that those who believe their tenets to be destructive to the souls of men, cannot feel and talk as they do. We shall see, however, whether this system of calmness and moderation will bear the test, to which these letters will certainly put it. If those even tempered controversialists show no restiveness, if they manifest no angry feelings, if they write nothing like the first address of the "Unitarian of Baltimore," we will really give them credit for a better spirit, than we have ever yet believed them to possess. But, on the contrary, if they attempt to empty on Dr. Miller all the vials of their wrath, we shall have proof positive, that their moderation, and gentleness, and kindness, are reserved for other

subjects and occasions, than those in which the concerns of this life their reputation and influence in society-are involved. We intend to look well to the result of this experiment, and we hope our readers will do the same.

When reviewers really wish a book to be read throughout, we suspect that they sometimes defeat their own purpose, by giving large and numerous extracts from it. We think we have ourselves, in some instances, obtained what we thought a pretty good general view, both of the subject and manner of an excellent publication, from a review; and have, in consequence, neglected to purchase and read the book itself. Now, it is our sincere and earnest wish that the letters before us should go, without any abbreviation, into as many hands as possible. We should be glad, indeed, if every family in our religious connexion could possess a copy of them: and we are also certainly willing that the families of other denominations should be as well supplied as our own. It is not our intention, therefore, to insert extensive extracts in our magazine; at least we shall not do this, till some time hence. The present article will be concluded by exhibiting the contents of the volume, as given by the author himself. In a subsequent number of our miscellany, we may perhaps go over these letters a little in detail, give a few extracts, and add some remarks of our own on the general subject. But for this we are not to be considered as pledged.

The matter of Dr. Miller's letters is to us so interesting in itself, that we should have received it with avidity, in any tolerable mode of communication. But he, we think, possesses more than a common share of the talent-and a most happy talent it is of giving interest to almost any subject which he handles. That he has given it to the subject of these letters, we happen to have evidence more decisive than that afforded by our own feelings or opinion. We know a young lawyer, by no means devoted to religious speculations, but possessing good taste and a love of sound reasoning, who has affirmed, that after beginning to read this book, he was unable to give a close attention to any thing else, till he had read it carefully through. We hope that many of his brethren of the bar will make the same trial, and find the same result.

The style of these letters possesses the same general character-perhaps somewhat improved-with the former publications of our author. It is easy, neat, flowing, and remarkably perspicuous. We have observed but a single passage, in which there appeared to us any obscurity; and in that an attentive reader will have little difficulty to ascertain the sense of the We could point out a number of slight inaccuracies,

"quas aut incuria fudit,

Aut humana parum cavit natura.”—