he was equally desirous of under- and agree in their deep sense standing their meaning, and per- the great evil of sin. They agree haps equally free from prejudice. in an humble conviction of their And he may further consider that need of a Saviour, and this Sawhilst he believes in the miracles viour is dear to their souls. They of the N. T. he will be regarded also agree in highly valuing such by Deists, as having that faith writers as Henry and Watts and whien can swallow mountains. Doddridge. Yet from the class There is a considerable body of of serious Christians, I am far Christians, who cannot receive from excluding such men as some of the doctrines of the high Lindsey, and Priestley, and BelCalvinists, because they think sham. With the latter of these them inconsistent with the divine I have spent many an agreeable, attributes, nor on the other hand and I hope prositable day, not can they agree with Mr. B. and only when our sentiments were some of the nudern Unitarians. alike, but since that period. And They think, that to call in ques- though I thing he is too strenuous tion the diyine authority of the and positive in maintaining hisLord's-day, and to say that the present system, yet no difference scriptures are not the word of of sentiment can prevent my enGod, must have a dangerous ten- tertaining a high sense of his indency. They are not perfectly tegrity and piety, as well as of his agreed in their religious senti. great abilities. ments, for they are to be found both in the established church, and in all the different denominations of Dissenters. But they agree in their love of serious, practical religion. They agree in highly valuing the means of grace, * Sincerely wishing that your Re- Your obliged servant, My friend speaks of my pluming myself upon my charity, and proclaiming it to the world. I certainly think it of more importance to make a public profession of charity than of faith. And I apprehend that those who believe in the ab olute deity of Christ, and those who believe in his simple humanity, are in general les candid than those whose sen iments lie between these two extremes. I know a worthy minister who received a letter from his Trinitarian brother, containing the following sentiment: There is no room in heaven for idolaters or heretics, and since you regard me as the one, and I you as the other, there can be no great cordiality betwixt us. But the heretical brother would not exclude the Trinitarian one from heaven. I shall however mention what appeared to me a want of candour on the other side of the question. It respects the late Mrs. Rayner, a lady of strong sense and uncommon generosity. She was a great friend of Dr. Priestley, but could not bear his opinion respecting the dormant state of man after death, and wrote a long letter to him on this subject. No, she would exclaim, I shall continue the same conscious being after death, that I am now. I have repeatedly heard her express great indignation against Mr. Urwick, for asserting in his own pulpit the pre-existence of Christ. She did this once when he was present, and he only made this calm reply, You did not hear me condema hose who disbelieve it. Certainly Trinitarians, Arians and Socinians, have a right to maintain their own sentiments in their own pulpits; but when they proclaim them in the pulpits of their brethren who are of different sentiments, I think they transgress the bounds both of prudence and charity MR. FOX'S ACCOUNT OF MR. LOCKE'S EXPULSION FROM OXFORD. SIR, June 12, 1808. was the author of a pamphlet which You will, I believe, readily duced the King to insist upon his regave offence to the government, inpreserve in your Repository, the moval from his studentship at Christfollowing extract from the "in- church. Sunderland writes by the King's troductory chapter" to Mr. Fox's command, to Dr. Fell, Bishop of OxHistorical Fragment. The ford and Dean of Christ-church. reverend prelate answers, that he has After stigmatising in a manner long had an eye upon Mr. Locke's beworthy of himself the legal mur- haviour; but though frequent attempts ders of Russel and Sidney, he had been made, (attempts of which the says that, "when their memory Bishop expresses no disapprobation,) to draw hiin into imprudent conversashall cease to be an object of re- tion, by attacking, in his company, the spect and veneration, it requires reputation, and insulting the memory of no spirit of prophecy to foretel his late patron and friend, and thus to that English liberty will be fast make his gratitude and all the best feelings of his heart, instrumental to his approaching to its final consumruin, these attempts all proved unsucmation." He adds that, "the cessful. Hence the Bishop infers, not very day on which Russel was the innocence of Mr. Locke, but that executed, the University of Ox. he was a great master of concealment, ford passed their famous decree, it is to be supposed, would have furnishboth as to words and looks; for looks, condemning formally, as impious ed a pretext for his expulsion, more deand heretical propositions, every cent than any which had yet been disprinciple upon which the consti. covered. An expedient is then suggesttution of this, or any other free cd to drive Mr Locke to a dilemma, by summoning him to attend the Colcountry, can maintain itself." In lege on the first of January ensuing. this connexion the author intro- If he do not appear, he shall be expelled duces the following account of for contumacy; if he come, matter of "Mr. Locke's expulsion from Oxford." charge may be found against him for what he shall have said at London, or elsewhere, where he will have been Among the oppressions of this period, less upon his guard than at Oxford. most of which were attended with con- Some have ascribed Fell's hesitation, if sequences so much more important to it can be so called, in executing the the several objects of persecution, it King's order, to his unwillingness to may seem scarcely worth while to no injure Locke, who was his friend; tice the expulsion of John Locke, from others with more reason, to the doubt Christ-church College, Oxford. But of the legality of the order. However besides the interest which every inci- this may have been, neither his scruple dent in the life of a person so deservedly nor his reluctance was regarded by a eminent naturally excites, there appears court who knew its own power. A to have been something in the transaction itself characteristic of the spirit of peremptory order was accordingly sent, and immediate obedience ensued. Thus, the times, as well as of the general na- while, without the shadow of a crime, ture of absolute power. Mr. Locke Mr. Locke lost a situation attended with was known to have been intimately some emolument, and great conveniconnected with Lord Shaftesbury, and had very prudently judged it adviseable ence, was the University deprived of for him, to pro ong for some time, his or rather thus, from the base principles of servility, did she cast away the man, residence upon the Continent, to which the having produced whom is now her he had resorted originally on account chiefest glory; and thus, to those who of his health. A suspicion, as it has been since proved, unfounded, that he are not determined to be blind, did the Locke, may well justify the ex- true nature of absolute power discover "The Letters for Toleration," itself, against which the middling sta- The Treatises on Government," tion is not more secure, than the most exalted. Tyranny when glutted with and "The Reasonableness of the blood of the great, and the plunder Christianity." of the rich, will condescend to hunt humbler game, and make a peaceable and innocent fellow of a college the object of its persecution. In this instance, one would almost imagine there was some instinctive sagacity in the government of that time, which pointed out to them, even before he had made The centenary of the revolution himself known to the world, the man was celebrated, while its advowho was destined to be the most suc- cate had cessful adversary of superstition and ty- though, it is worthy of remark, no public honours, that, just at the same period, was restored on the Royal Exchange the statue of Charles II. the persecutor of Locke and the pencrowned head, and as Shakespeare sioner of France, but he was a ranny. says "There's such divinity doth hedge a king." Such is the literary monument raised to John Locke by a mind in many respects congenial, in a work which, under all the disad. vantages of an unfinished posthumous publication, contains too much of the language of the author's heart speedily to perish. That the University should not long ago have retrieved her re- The public prints have anputation, by paying some distin- nounced a design at length to guished honours to the memory rescue the national character from of her ill-requited son, may ap. the reproach of ingratitude to pear unaccountable, till it is recol- the memory of Locke-a design lected, what Oxford cannot forget, which I hope will be amply enthat the author of the Essay couraged. concerning Human Understanding," was also the author of REVIEW. Your's SELECTOR. "STILL PLEAS'D TO PRAISE, YET NOT AFRAID TO BLAME." POPE. ART. I. Sermons on various Subjects, by George Walker, F. R. S. late Professor of Theology, in the New College, and President of the Philosophical and Literary Society, Manchester. 4 vols. 8vo. Johnson. The first and second volumes of 1790, when the respectable authese Sermons have been, for years, thor was pastor of the congrega. before the public; for they made tion of Protestant dissenters, at the their appearance from the pr. ss in High-Pavement, in Nottingham. This being so long before we com- v. S. 8. Names the food of party menced our career, as Reviewers, in religion, and injurious to true and the Discourses having been christianity, 2 Cor. x. 7. 9. On already appreciated, and received the Christian Armour. Eph. vi. 13, their meed of praise, those volumes 14, 15. 10. Rich towards God, do not come within our province. and prepared for Death. Luke xii. With pleasure, however, we an- 20. 11. Christian Magnanimity, nounce this new impression, as a Ps. cxii. 6,7. 12. Self examina. favourable omen of the reception tion, as preparatory to the cha they have met with, and take in- racter of Religion, 2 Cor. xi. 28. to our hands the two additional 13. On the abuse of the Divine volumes, which accompany them. Forbearance. Eccles. viii. 11. 14. The known abilities of the author, On Self-deceit. Jer. xvii. 2. On and the high estimation in which some of these subjects, the author his name was held, will naturally extends his discussions through raise the reader's expectations: two discourses. nor, we presume, will they be disappointed. The worthy author, we have to lament, is now no more: but the Sermons before us, which, according to proposals published a year and a half ago, were designed, and in a great measure prepared, for the press by himself, will remain as memorials of his talents and spirit, and perpetuate his name with honour, The third volume, which continues the series of numbers, from the second, contains seventeen discourses. The subjects are: 1. The Requisites to Religious Understanding, from Dan. xii. 10, preached at an Ordination. 2. On Sympathy, preached as recommendatory to the General Hospital at Nottingham, from John xi. 25. 3. On Sincerity, John i. 47. 4. Reflections on Human Life, considered as a Drama, 1 Cor. vii. 31. 5. On Death, as a change to the virtuousand to the wicked". 6. On the improbability and inefficacy of Repentance, when habitually protracted. Isa. v. 6. 7. Christianity a perfect light. Eph. In the first discourse, delivered at an ordination, Mr. Walker corrects the superstitious ideas of that service, which have been frequently attached to it, even among Protestant dissenters; while he aims to place it in a point of view both rational and useful, "In this day of inquiry," says our preacher, "wherein all the institutions and usages of our ancestors have very amination, ordination has not been exproperly been subjected to a severe exempted. Bigots have thought too much of it, and your over-rational men appear to think too little of it. I will tell you therefore, in a few words, what in my soberest judgment it ought not to mean, and what I think it does mean. It ought not to mean, that the officiating ministers have any of the Their character and conduct, in the most apostolic powers committed to them. favourable view, argue themselves to be only men, and the candidate will as suredly issue out of their hands a mere man, subject to the weakness and failuse of his talents and advantages, and ings of human nature; yet with a wise, with that assistance of his Maker, which we cannot calculate, and which it becomes us not to doubt of, capable of those improvements, and of those utilities which will do honour to himself, render him a blessing to those with whom he Job. xiv. 14.-N. B. Here is an error both in the contents and as the text stands at the head of the sermon, for in each place it is stated to be taken from the prophecy of Jeremiah instead of the book of Job. From the sermon on Sincerity, we are tempted to quote the following passage on the importance of inward serenity and self-approbation. shall be connected, and be highly ac- their approbation. If I did not view ceptable to his God. On the other hand ordination in this respectable and useit does mean, that in the face of the ful light, I would bear no part in this Christian world, and in the presence of office; for with the higher view of actthat great Being from whom Christi- ing my part before God, I hope that i anity proceeded, you elect the minister am above all temptation of acting an who is presented to us as your future other part before men; and in this I trust, teacher, monitor and guide, to conduct I speak for my brethren also." Pp. 2,3, your public worship, to assist you in 4, 5. the walk of Christian verity and duty. to counteract the vitiating influence of the world, to rescue you from its littlenesses, debasements and corruptions, and minister to the great object of all your Christian warfare, your final acceptance with God, and admission to the blessedness of heaven. It means that the officiating ministers know the object of your choice enough to justify their concurrent approbation; that they believe him to be invested by God with abilities fitted for the office to which he devotes himself; that his education has been directed to the improvement of these abilities; that there are no illomened appearances of a light, a worldly or a vicious mind; and that if these advantages and these promises be seconded by future diligence and honesty, he will not, he cannot defeat the expectations which you entertain of him. În fine, it imports a moral contract between you and him; that he shall teach, and that you will receive his teaching with attention, with a disposition to be instructed, but with a reserve of your own judgment; that he shall admonish, reprove, correct, and that you will submit yourselves to his admonitions and reproof, nor suffer any pride or petulance, or baser interests to resist the good tendency of his virtuous admonitions; that he shall lead and guide; ⚫ and inasmuch as he is vindicated by the truth of human nature and the truth of God, that you will honestly, humbly and affectionately present yourselves to his guidance. "In this view ordination is a highly becoming usage. Public religion requires the notoriety and solemnity of public acts; while a more important act of public religion cannot be, than that engagement, which is to minister to your character as good men, and to your happiness as expectants of a glorious hereafter. It guards against the introduction of improper en into the ministry against the being seduced to a choice, which wise, experienced and honest ministers will hot ratify with "A man's heart is his home, his perpetual home, to which from all the bustlings of the world, its fatiguing cares, and flattering promises, he must every day retire; and if he find not in his visits to this home a kind, a cheerful and a gracious reception, not one of his flattering attainments and tumultuous joys will afford him a consolation for the peace which he has lost, for the dissatisfactions and upbraidings of his own mind. If therefore in his daily visits to this home, and as interested only in his present life, and while the promise of life is yet young, he find from this unpleasant reception the bitter which turns his sweet into gall, what must be his sensations, when in the rude shocks of this world of trial he must encounter those disappointments, which annihilate the world to him, the wreck of fortune, the death of children, the attack of excruciating pain, or the tedium of lingering disease; but more still, what indeed must be his sensations, when death summons him before that being, in whom he has not cultivated the hope, that is the balm to every care, the medicine to every grief, and the only cordial in that hour of serious apprehension." Pp. 96, 97, In the sermon entitled "Christianity a perfect light," are the following sentiments. "It is not the least advantage of the ministerial profession, that it leads us to a conversation with the best book that ever was put into the hands of man, perhaps to a more attentive and familiar conversation with it, than in a different profession we might have known. It may be owing to this, that whatever our conduct be, we have higher ideas of the duty of a Christian, than others appear to be possessed of; |