6

Those who see no arguments in scripture for worshipping a plurality of persons in the Deity are accused, it seems, of being governed by pride, of exalting their own reason in opposition to the scriptures, of degrading the Lord Jesus Christ.' Following up these charges, their adversaries have found no difficulty in proceeding to an impeachment of the reality of their faith in divine revelation. Dr. Fuller represents them, as "having a heart secretly dissatisfied with the gospel-way of salvation." Dr. White accuses them of "making little of the most express declarations of scripture, and of perverting the plain and obvious meaning of the scriptures by false glosses.' Bp. Newton says, that, "if there were any, these are the men, who not privily, as the Apostle speaks, but publicly bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, the atonement made by Christ, as well as his divinity." Dr. Knox speaks of them as zealously lowering our Saviour in the opinion of his followers; while Mr. Barnard insinuates that they only "pretend to believe the gospel;" and Bp. Horsley classes them with Mohammedans. Bp. Hurd and Mrs. Piozzi are not less zealous on the same side of the question; and a popular preacher announced from a city pulpit his intention to enter the lists with Socinians, as 66 daring adversaries, profane and scornful unbelievers, and impious mortals who divest the great author and founder of our faith of his divinity." Mr. Wilberforce asserts that unitarianism is the halfway house to infidelity; and that" it seems to be resorted to, not merely by those who are disgusted by the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, but by those also who are seeking a refuge from the strictness of her practical precepts; and who more particularly would escape from the obligations which she imposes upon her adherents, rather to incur the dreaded charge of singularity, than fall in with the declining manners of a dissipated age." Though we are not here reviewing Mr. Wilberforce's book, yet, as this passage appears before us in a quotation, we cannot help observing that it would more become controversial writers to state what are the doctrines, whether peculiar or others, of Christ; be. cause the doctrines of Christianity have been moulded according to the creed of every particular sect of Christians, and the system has been made to prescribe a number of matters which never entered into his holy will.

These charges are certainly of a very serious nature; and, if we were less accustomed to controversial theology, we might attribute to them more weight than they really have: but it is so common for these agonistics to scatter firebrands, arrows, and death, as if by way of common amusement, that we have only to lament that they cannot find a worthier employment for their time in the cultivation and practice of the Christian virtues. These, we know assuredly, will have their fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life: whereas the giving heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith, we are enjoined as carefully to avoid; since the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned; from which some, having swerved, have turned aside unta vain jangling.

To

To the accusations of his adversaries, Dr. Toulmin replies in the true spirit of evangelical simplicity.

All, (says he,) who avowedly embrace unitarian sentiments are more or less exposed to some trials: from which the profession of the common faith, or even silence about their own view of matters, would preserve them. Obloquy rests on their religious creed. Their places of worship are avoided; or entered with trembling. I speak on fact and experience. For misrepresentations are given of their designs; and their opinions are not resolved into involuntary error, but imputed to the worst principles. Of late years they have scarcely been allowed the merit of good citizens. Political guilt, as well as religious heresy, has been charged upon them. The persons of some have suffered insult and outrage. Their very names are odiThese circumstances are not pleasing. They are really trying to the temper and to fortitude of mind.

ous.

No doubt can be made, that they have an unfavourable influence on the minds of some, who inwardly approve their sentiments and think with them; an influence which deters such from openly joining them which disposes such timid Christians even to censure their exertions, lest, by seeming to countenance them, they should draw on themselves the ill opinion of their neighbours, and come in for a share of the odium which, they perceive, rests upon more open unitarians. Such meetings as those, for which we are this day convened, have been held under some apprehensions of provoking open violence; and, so unpropitious have the times been to us, that we feel ourselves particularly affected with the sense of the liberality, which, in the present or former instances, has afforded us a place wherein to assemble.

If suffering reproach for conscience, and in the cause of Christ, be any mark of belonging to Christ, we will assert, that, are others Christ's, we are, on this ground, more especially so. Under the circumstances now stated there is a call for meekness with its gentle forbearing spirit; there is a call for zeal, with its sincerity and vigour, to shew themselves. I have appealed to eminent characters; and eminent characters have, under these circumstances, displayed to advantage the power and energy of principle and zeal, in this particular religious profession, as well as in our common profession as Christians. I appeal to the virtues, which the general state of this party calls into exercise.' P. 34.

This little tract merits the more consideration, as being written with the temper, the moderation, and the candour which are so essential to the character of a Christian minister, and are so seldom exemplified by the controversialist.

Tocks Art. 62. The Danger of Lukewarmness in Religion considered, and applied to the present State of this Country; delivered at the Octagon Chapel, Bath, April 29, 1798. By J. Gardiner, D. D. 8vo. Is. Rivingtons.

In taking a view of the present state of our country, Dr. Gardiner is induced to cherish hope, but it is mixed with a considerable portion of fear, arising from the growing immorality and religious indifference discernable in all classes of society. He particularly laments that the public mind is not more awake to the sacred obligations of an oath,

and

and that the horrid expedient of perjury should have been adopted (as it is to be feared it has been by many) in order to evade taxation. A revival of the true spirit of religion is most devoutly to be wished; and he who labours to exalt a nation, by turning it to righteousness, must be classed among its best friends.

Art. 63. Sermon prêché à la Chapelle Helvétique, le Mercredi, 11 Avril 1798, jour anniversaire de la Société des Suisses et des Genevois, etablie à Londres depuis l'An 1703, et publié à la Requisition et au Profit de la dite Société. Par Louis Amédée Anspach, Ministre du Saint Evangile. 8vo. pp. 22. IS. La Grange, à Londres. 1798. The text is Phil. ii. 2. Be of one accord, of one mind; Soyez bien unis ensemble, ayant les mêmes sentimens. The preacher exhorts his brethren to cherish a common sentiment-of interest-of charity-and of patriotism. Under this last head, he pathetically addresses the Swiss, and reminds them how powerfully l'amour de la patrie has been known to operate on their minds: on sait quelle force il eut toujours sur le cœur d'un Suisse.' He presumes that this sacred flame will never be extinguished; that his audience contains those who are disposed to fly to the assistance of their country, unjustly attacked; and that they will not cease to be united in the same sentiment of patriotism. He concludes with calling on them to consider the nature of the Society, and to contribute to the support of its funds, which are destined for the relief and encouragement of his brethren and countrymen in this kingdom.

Mo-y.

Though this be a charity sermon, the preacher cannot help recurring again and again to the unhappy fate of his country.Noire Patrie! he exclaims, Existe-t-il encore de Patrie pour nous ? We cannot wonder that, in describing the recent events of his unhappy country, a preacher-a young Genevois preacher,―should be pathetic; and that the society of his countrymen, to whom he addressed himself, should be so forcibly moved as to solicit the publication of his sermon. Speaking of the invasion of Switzerland by the French, he says that it presents every where traces of a sanguinary and perfidious enemy; who, with the words liberty, peace, and fraternity in their mouth, bring with them nothing but servitude, disorganization, and discord. Ꭰ?

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the MONTHLY REVIEWERS.

GENTLEMEN,

ALLOW me, with acknowledgements of your very liberal criticism, and with deference to your judgment and accuracy, to propose a slight observation or two relative to my account of Constantinople, &c. (See M. R. Feb. last, Art. I.)

The note in which the temple at Agrigentum is mentioned is indeed rendered perfectly unintelligible, by the error of the press. It may be thus corrected: "The breadth was 283 feet, the length 334, and the external height of the roof 100, each column of the perestyle having an entire shaft of 26 feet 8 inches, of the earliest Doric order."

Concerning the present state of the Turkish navy, it may be remarked that the brigantines and galleys, formerly so numerous,

are

are now disused, and the rates of European ships of war substituted
for them.

I remain, with great respect, your obedient Servant,
JAMES DALLAWAY.

Heralds' College, London,

Aug. 1, 1798.'

Mercator's note is received. In answer to it, we have only to observe that the Dr. and Cr. sides of a merchant's account-books are sooner summed up and balanced, than the merits and demerits of literary works.

G. W., who dates from Pewsey, must act according to his own good pleasure:" but we know that his opinion is not well founded. He mistakes in terming a former correspondent, to whom he alludes, anonymous: the writer of that letter gave to it the authority of his signature and his residence, as well as G. W.

By a third letter from C-s M-s, we are sorry to find him still labouring under a misconception. As long As long as he continues to make no distinction between an illustrative assumption and a serious didactic statement, we despair of being able to satisfy him, without disgusting our readers in general by minute details, which would appear trivial because unnecessary to them. We shall therefore refrain from farther observations on this subject.

Our friendly correspondent M. may be partly right in his first observation: but we shall not argue, because "who shall decide," on a point of taste?-As to the Cork-tree, we rather doubt the accu racy of the travellers to whom M. refers in this particular : but we cannot determine. Our correspondent also inquires why, in our account of M. Tenhove's Memoirs of the House of Medici, (Rev. July,) the name of the celebrated Michael Angelo is there written Michelag nolo :—in thus deviating from the common English custom, we followed M. Tenhove's respectable translator, Sir Rd. Clayton, in restor ing this great artist's name to the original Italian mode of spelling it.

The style of the letter subscribed with four stars is unjustified and unsupported by its contents. The writer accuses the M. Rev. of being much more typographically inaccurate than heretofore, and produces one instance, of polical being printed for political! (Rev. July, p. 253.) We can only say that we pay the utmost possible attention to correctness, and should thankfully accept the correction of any errors that may escape, in the hurry of our limited re visals. This writer also objects to the word antiquarians in p. 251, instead of antiquaries. Could he not see that the former term was here used because it is a low word of reproach or derision, and therefore applicable in this instance? We always write antiquary on other occasions, and are scrupulous in our attention to avoid the impropriety censured by this Aristarchus, which is so common among writers.

Letters from the translator of Euler, and from Mr. Hornsey, &c. are necessarily deferred.

And

TO THE

TWENTY-SIXTH VOLUME

OF THE

MONTHLY REVIEW

ENLARGED.

FOREIGN LITERATURE.

ART. I. C. M. WIELAND's Sämmliche Werke, i. e. The Collective Works of C. M. WIELAND. Vols. XXIV-XXX. inclusively.

WE

E are somewhat in arrear with our readers for the concluding portion of this extensive collection, which was last noticed in the Appendix to vol. xxiii. of our New Series, P. 575 but we shall now resume our analysis.

The twenty-fourth volume of these works comprises Literary, Philosophical, and Historical Disquisitions, alike remarkable for elegance and erudition. The first is a letter to a young poet, advising him either to make poetry his primary pursuit, or to abandon it altogether.The second discusses the question "What is truth?" WIELAND considers it as a mutable, relative, individual impression, little connected with the state of the external world :- a conclusion which is very favourable to Pyrrhonism. In the third disquisition, philosophy is contemplated as a remedy for diseases of the mind. The fourth notices various symptoms of reviving credulity and superstition, lately exhibited in Berlin, in common with other European capitals. The fifth is an antiquarian investigation of early pastimes and games: it may furnish some additional anecdotes to the author of "Chess ;" and it may, in turn, derive some correction from a paper published by Sir William Jones in the Asiatic Researches.-The exquisite dissertation which follows, on the Ideals of the Greek artists, tends somewhat to disperse that consecrated glory, which, in the consideration of a classical mind, is too apt to hover over the productions of anAPP. REV. VOL, XXVI. tiquity;

LI