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One would have thought this was sufficient to have refuted the Socinian, but he had recourse to a method, which had it not been taken notice of, might have soon deprived us both of the Old and New Testament.

Mr. Sharp had observell, that the very words of the prophet relating to Christ's incarnation, are, by Matthew the Evangelist, applied to Christ in chapter I. and II. Upon that the Socinian wrote a pamphlet, attempting to prove that those two chapters are spurious, and forged by some of the ancient fathers.

He was going to have proceeded in the same manner with the first two chapters of St. Luke's gospel, but Mr. Sharp answered him in such a masterly manner, that probably he will be silent for ever.

They teach, that man was of his own nature mortal, even before the fall, and was never endowed with original righteousness, consequently there can be no original sin by the fall of Adam. That we have a power to do good or evil whenever we please. That knows nothing of what is to happen, even to-morrow. That the cause of predestination is not in God, but in man. That God predestinates no one in particular to be saved. That he might have forgiven sin without Christ's death; for as he is the universal Lord, so he might do with his creatures as he pleased; he might give up his right to punish.

They add further, that as Christ was a mortal man, so it was necessary that he should die; and this, say they, shews he was not God, because God cannot die. That the death and all the sufferings of Christ were for no other purpose, than to shew an example for people to imitate. That Christ made no attonement for sin, nor was his death of any great service to mankind. That God hath exalted Christ in heaven somewhat above the saints, but still he is a dependent being. That baptism is an indifferent thing, and may either be used or not. That the torments of hell mean no more than that the soul and body shall be both annihiliated. We shall not mention the dreadful consequences which might be drawn from these prin

The pastoral function consists in preaching, praying, visiting the sick, and administering the sacraments. They admit of no more sacraments than two, namely, Baptism, and the Lord's supper.

A sacrament, say they, is an oath, or an engagement to perform something; and when they partake of the communion, they sit round a table, like the Calvinists, there being no difference between them in that particular.

The Socinians are charged with measuring their faith by the narrow bounds of their reason. God (say they) never commanded, that man can be. lieve what cannot be comprehended. That we are created with an understanding fit to conceive, and we should reject what we cannot comprehend.

And here we would ask, if any man could ever yet comprehend God. Canst thou by searching (says Job) find out God, canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?" Plato, a Heathen, said, speaking of God, "Truth is his body, and light is his shadow." Simonides, a Sicilian philosopher, being asked by his king Dionysius, what God was, asked some time to consider of an answer, but at last returned for answer, that the more he considered, the more he was lost in admiration, at the boundless nature of the subject.

Toland and Tindal, attempting to write in defence of Socinianism, became professed Deists, and wrote against the Christian Religion.

Mr. Whiston, who was himself an Arian, being one day in conversation with Chubb, who was a Socinian, he (Whiston) told him it would not be long before he embraced Deism, and he did so.

It is certain, that those who reject mysteries, must, at the same time, reject divine revelation; and here we may say, with a great man, "Nothing is more reasonable than to believe that to be true which is above reason; what notion can a man form of the soul, any more than that it is a living active principle, which he feels within himself, but cannot in any manner comprehend."

The Socinians often speak very disrespectfully of Christ, particularly in their sermons, and always treat of a futurestate, as but very imperfectly revealed.

ciples, because it injure many persons in the pre-They are apparently happy, that God has not made sent age, whose minds, we hope, are well established in the faith.

They say that every sort of discipline is no more than ecclesiastical policy, and certainly so it is, but they have none, That pastors are all equal, and to them with the elders belong the government of

the church.

No. 30.

the gospel dispensation clearer than it is, and yet they will not believe what is revealed.

Dr. Blair, an author now alive, and a divine, justly admired by his brethren, the ministers of the church of Scotland, has made some fine remarks concerning the notions of the Socinians. It appears (says the Dr.) to be the plan of the deity, in all his dispensations

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pensations, to mix light with darkness, evidence with uncertainty. Whatever the reason of this providence be, the fact is undeniable.

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God is described in the Old Testament, as a God that hideth himself. Clouds and darkness are said to surround him, His way is in the sea and his path in the great waters, his footsteps are not known. Both the works and the ways of God are full of mystery. In the ordinary course of his government, innumerable events occur, which perplex us to the utmost. There is a certain limit to all our enquires in religion, beyond which, if we attempt to proceed, we are lost in a maze of inextricable difficulties. Even that revelation which affords such material instruction to man concerning his duty and his happiness, leaves many doubts unresolved. See Blair's Sermons, ser. iv. p. 290.

It is certain, that if men could comprehend every thing revealed; if they could see the veil drawn aside, and the mystery of God's moral government unfolded, there would be an amazing change, but it would be for the worst. Men would neglect those duties they owe to society, to their country, their families and themselves. Human life would pro-cure no object sufficient to rouse the mind to a state of activity, nor to urge the hand of industry. Nay, it has been supposed, perhaps with good reason, that were men to behold the glories of a future state, they would deprive themselves of its blessings by rushing upon their own destruction.

It has pleased our God to conceal many things from us, that we may give evidence of our humility

and our confidence in him. To set up reason as the boundary of our religion, is an attempt to make ourselves greater than the glorious angels in heaven. For the apostle, speaking of the work of man's redemption, says, "Which things the angels desire to look into." Which implies, it was then too great for them, and will remain so till Christ has finished his mediatorial office.

How different from these sentiments are those of the humble believer? How often does he exclaim with joy,

Thy mercies still thou does impart,
With every added day,
Above the rest, O give an heart,
Its tribute still to pay.
Th' angelic host for ever pure,
My late returns shall bless; //
Nor sin nor sorrow ever more,
Conspire against my rest.

Those false suggestions, flesli, and blood,
Did interpose below,

Shall then be clear'd and understood,

And unmix'd friendship flow.

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among the Deists, when they ridicule the differences among Protestants.

These differences, among Protestant Dissenters, are so trifling, that they seldom affect the essentials of religion; and people ought to bear with each other, and be tenderly obliging, without affording an opportunity for either the Papists or Deists to triumph over their weakness.

The Independents, as they are now in England, may be divided into two sects, namely, the regulars and the irregulars. The regular Independents, are those who have been brought up at their academy, and received as much learning as we shall have occasion to take notice of afterwards. The irregular Independents consist of the lower ranks of people, who have for some time attended the preaching of the Methodists, but are seduced away by some of their friends, who happen to have a greater volubility of speech than the others. But of each of these in their order.

Account of the Regular Independents.

These people were called originally Brownists, from the following circumstance:

Mr. Robert Brown, a Puritan preacher, in the diocese of Norwich, had been much persecuted by the bishops, and frequently thrown into prison.

This Mr. Brown was descended from an ancient and honourable family, in the county of Rutland, and nearly related to the great Lord Treasurer Cecil. He received his education in Corpus Christi College, in Cambridge, but having conceived early prejudices against the ceremonies, he went about the country preaching in private houses. Having had an information lodged against him in the spiritual court, he was degraded from his office; and being then a young man, he went and lived some time privately with his father.

He could not, however, be restrained from preaching and inveighing against the bishops and the ceremonies. For this he was imprisoned no less than thirty-two times, and at last forced to leave the kingdom. Upon this he retired to Middleburgh in Zeland, with several of his followers, where he formed a church upon his own plan of discipline. This happened in 1586, but in three years after, 1589, they split into so many parties, that Brown left them and returned to England, where he renounced his principles. After this, he became rector of a parish church in Northamptonshire, where he lived an idle and dissolute life,

and having assaulted one of his neighbours, he was committed to the jail of Northampton, where he died 1630, in the eighty-first year of his age.

The Brownist held the same notion with respect to the terms of acceptance, as the Calvinists, but in their discipline they were uncommonly rigid. They taught, that every congregation was a church independent of any other, and this is the reason why they are called Independents

Some of their reasons for separating from the church of England were, that the laws and the queen's injunctions, had imposed several things that were not commanded in the gospel. That there were several gross errors in the service of the church, which were made necessary for the communion, and imposed accordingly. That if persecution for the sake of conscience was inconsistent with Christianity, the church of England could not be a true one. That the constitution of the hierarchy was too bad to be mended. That the very pillars of it were rotten, and that there was a necessity for a total reformation..

These people suffered much, along with the other Puritans, during the reign of queen Elizabeth, and. many suffered death with remarkable constancy for the principles they professed.

In 1593, the Brownists were become so nume rous, that Sir Walter Raleigh declared in parliament, that there were upwards of twenty thousand of them in the counties of Norfolk and Essex, and in the neighbourhood of London. Those near London being more numerous than any where else, they formed themselves into a congregation, and chose a pastor. They had many learned men among them, particularly Ainsworth, whose exposition of the Pentateuch and the Psalms, is one of the best books in the world. But the congregation was soon dispersed, and fifty-six of the members sent to prison, where some of them perished for want of the necessaries of life.

Hereupon, they petitioned the lord treasurer, setting forth the hardships they laboured under, but their petition was rejected. These persecutions obliged many of them to go over to Holland, where they set up themselves in most of the principal towns. In the reign of James I. the persecution carried on against them was greater than before; but these people, although persecuted, split into parties, and did all they could to injure each other.

About the year 1610, they assumed the name of Independents, and one Mr. Robinson, a learned. man amongst them, returned to England, and formed a congregation, which met in the Borough of Southwark, where there is a meeting to this day..

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It is called Deadman's Place, because the Dissenters have a burying ground adjoining to it.

But this little society having been informed against by the bishop's pursuviant in 1632, fortytwo of them were apprehended and thrown into prison. Some of these were admitted to bail, but no favour was to be shewn to their pastor; upon which he petitioned the king for leave to depart from England, which was granted him. He, with about thirty of his followers, went over to New England; and Mr. Canne, who wrote the marginal notes on the bible, was chosen pastor in his

room.

Mr. Canne preached in private houses, but the rage of the persecution drove him and his followers over to Holland, where they established a congregation at Amsterdam.

Mr. Hłowe was their next minister, who was thrown into prison, where he died. As opposition is the life of argument, so persecution promotes religion, whether true or false. These people encreased to an amazing number, and although almost all of them were of different sentiments, yet they were either called Puritans or Brownists.

They continued to meet in Deadman's Place as usual; but one Sunday, whilst they were celebrating Divine worship, they were surrounded by the marshal of the King's-bench, and committed to prison. Next day they were carried before the house of lords, and accused of denying the king's supremacy in ecclesiastical matters, and with preaching contrary to the statute of uniformity. The house, however, did not proceed against them in a summary manner, but dismissed them with a gentle reprimand. Next day a great many people went to see their meeting, and were so pleased with its simplicity, that they embraced their notions and became converts.

History addresses itself to a period far more distant than the dreams of wild enthusiasts, or the blasphemies of madmen. She undertakes to hold out truth to public notice, without regard to factions, or any attachment to parties. She is to dress up truth in her native, colours, and leave the impartial reader to judge. This is not an easy matter in the midst of contending parties. We are not to be swayed or biassed by inveterate prejudices, any more than partial attachments. So just are the words of the poet.

So from the time we first begin to know,
We live and learn and not the wiser grow:
But he who truth from falsehood would discern,
Must first disrobe the mind, and all unlearn.

To dispossess the child the mortal lives,
But death approaches e'er the man arrives:
Thus truth lies hid, and e'er we can explore
The glittering gem, our flecting life is o'er.

We have, however, endeavoured to avoid all these extremes; we have considered that all human beings are liable to err; and sensible of our own weakness, we shall continue our account of these people with impartiality and with tenderness.

In the year 1641, when the Puritans began their grand attempt to overturn the government both in church and state, many of the Independent ministers returned to England: and so unsettled was the state of affairs at that time, that some of these men were chosen ministers of that famous assembly of divines which met at Westminster, and overturned the whole frame of episcopacy. The independents were more favoured than the Presbyterians; and as they had no objection against money, they accepted of the grand church livings, while at the same time, they were exclaiming against clerical power.

When the Presbyterians, in 1648, petitioned the parliament against the tolerations of the Sectaries, which was seconded by the Scots, the Independents presented a counter-petition from the city, signed by a great number of hands. The parliament upon this, called upon the Presbyterians to prove their jus divinum; and an assembly of them met for that purpose; but the Independents withdrew, and left them, not chusing to have any hand in the affair.

The army, at this time, was composed of Independents mixed with Anabaptists, and other Sectaries, who, when they found the presbyterians even in their treaty with the king, insisting upon uniformity, without making the least provision for that liberty of conscience they had been contending for, grew outrageous, and at last, buried king, parliament, and Presbytery, in the ruins of the consti

tution.

As Oliver Cromwell was an enemy to clerical power, and a friend to universal toleration, they were one of his chief supports during his usurpation. They petitioned him for leave to hold a synod in order to publish to the world an uniform confession of their faith; for they were become very considerable. Their churches were greatly encreased both in the city and country, and many rich and substantial people had joined them, but they were not agreed upon any standard of faith or discipline, though their brethren in New England had done so ten years before. The protector yielded to their importunity, but did not live to see the effects of it.

About

About a month after the protector's death, a meeting was held in the Savoy between the Presbyterians and the Independents, and they appointed a committee to draw up a new confession of faith, which differed but little from that of the Westminster confession. At the end of the confession is a chapter of discipline in which they assert, that every society of visible professors agreeing to walk together in the faith and order of the gospel is a complete church, and has full power within itself to elect and ordain all church officers, to exclude all offenders, and to do all other acts relating to the edification and well being of the church. That all ordinations shall take place in consequence of the pastors being elected by the people; and they are to be set apart by fasting and prayer, with the imposition of hands; but even without the imposition of hands, they are to be declared duly ordained; nor shall any person object to their being ministers of the gospel; for they consider the act of ordination as in its own nature, rather indifferent than binding.

They-disallow the power of all stated synods and presbyteries, and all sorts of conventical churches over particular assemblies, but admit, that in cases of difficulty or difference relating to order of doctrine, churches may meet together by their messengers, to give advice, but not to exercise any authority. They say farther, that churches agreeing in the fundamentals of religion, should keep up a communion with their brethren. And it is true that the ministers and rich people do so, but the poor are generally neglected.

At present, the Independents have many meetings in England, but their ministers are for the most part poor. Indeed this is reasonable; for if they have no compassion for those in distress, so it would seem inconsistent with the dictates of common sense, that any people should shew compassion to them.

They have an academy where their young ministers are brought up, but not one of them can be admitted till he has declared that he has been converted. The greatest number of these young men are taken from menial employments, and they are first employed to learn as much Latin as Cæsar of Borgio acquired. They then lay hold of a Greek grammar, and acquire as much knowledge of that ancient language as to be able to read a chapter in St. John's gospel. In Hebrew they go over Robertson's edition of the Psalms, and here their knowledge of languages stops.

During their leisure hours, a minister comes to the academy, and delivers them some lectures, on rhetoric and logic, which they are vain enough to No. 30

call the fine arts. An attempt was made, a few. years ago, to introduce amongst them the study of the mathematics, in order to make them reasoners; but their governors could not undertake the making of compasses, lines and circles, so that their young ministers have just as much learning as one would naturally imagine who attends to the nature of things, and considers the constitution of the Christian religion.

The next thing to be considered is their ecclesiastical polity, if it deserves that name. When one of their young men has acquitted himself so well as to be made choice of for a church, about half a dozen of the neighbouring ministers assemble, with a great many of the people. The ordination is conducted in the same form as among the Presbyterians, but the confession differs.

The following confession of faith, delivered by Mr. Thomas Bradbury, in London, July 10, 1707, is almost similar to all that have been delivered since, and may serve as a specimen.

"Forasmuch as, upon these occasions, many have taken in hand to set forth, in order, a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us; I desire to make the same good profession before many witnesses, and according to my measure of the gift of Christ, give a reason of the hope that is in me, with meckness and fear, and especially at this time, when by fasting and prayer, and laying on of hands, I am to be separated for the work whereunto the Lord hath called me; though I be less than the least of all saints, and not worthy of this grace, to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ.

ART. I. I therefore declare my belief, that the books of the Old and New Testament, which are commonly received amongst us, came not by the will of man, but the holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness.

II. This, through grace, I will always adhere to, as the great rule of my faith and ministry; to this law and testimony, I profess to bring every opinion; this I promise, in a dependance upon him who has the residue of the spirit; I apply to these scriptures as the best discovery God hath made himself in this life; I here learn what God is, and what he doth This includes both his nature and glorious perfections it includes both his eternal unity and a trinity of persons.

III. I believe that the Lord our God is one Lord, there is none besides him.

IV. I believe there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, 8 S and

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