in point of doctrine, deficient in all essential particulars, and leaves its professors in danger of being destitute of those fruits which alone can prove the goodness of the tree.

In the following Letters, the great point of Socinian controversy, viz. the divinity of the Son of God, is exclusively handled; and so handled, that were I to touch it with a hope of improvement, I should but be gilding the diamond, or painting the lilly. With the proof of this great point, the truth of all the rest of the vast mediatorial scheme follows; and then it appears plain how God could remain inflexibly just, and yet be the justifier of all who come to him through Christ: how mercy and truth have met together, how righteousness and peace have kissed each other, in the Gospel of a once humbled and now exalted Saviour.

In regard to the work itself, to which these few remarks are but slightly introductory, it is difficult to speak in terms of adequate praise. There is an ingenuous meekness of spirit about it, which betokens the sincerity of a genuine faith; while the critical acumen, which it everywhere displays, evinces the patience of a devoutly inquiring mind. The argumentation of the work will be found lucid in the extreme, and such as to bring the great subject in its bearings within the reach of every dispassionate mind; and I know not of any one page that is stained either by illiberality of sentiment or exegetical trickery. There is in every part of the work a visible honesty that must command the respect of opponents; an uncom

promising firmness which wins the confidence of adherents; a piety which cheers the heart of the experimental christian; a simplicity of exegesis which delights the scholar; and a current of proof that it will be hard for Socinianism, with all its modern refinements, to make head against. I know of no work of its class and kind that I have risen from the perusal of, with such unfeigned delight; and while I offer thanksgiving, where alone it is due, that our theological literature is enriched by this valuable little work, I humbly pray that the perusal of it may minister to the edification of many an inquiring mind upon a subject, the full importance of which will never be known on this side of the grave.

We are living at a time of no ordinary interest. It is a season in which it behoves every man to be able to give a reason for the hope that is in him. Scenes of trial are preparing for the Church of Christ. On the broad ground of christian consistency, the time is come for the Church of Christ to arouse herself; and on the ground of personal safety-the safety of the immortal soul-it is now more needful than ever, that every man should examine himself whether he be in the faith; and if not, then that he should flee at once to the offered Saviour, as the manslayer fled to the city of refuge, and rest not till he knows that, "being justified by faith," he has "peace with God."

DARLASTON RECTORY,

April, 1836.

LETTERS

ON THE

DIVINITY OF CHRIST.

LETTER I.

REVEREND AND DEAR SIR,

I have recently perused a sermon delivered by you at the ordination of the Reverend J. Sparks, in Baltimore, with no small degree of interest. The subjects of which it treats must be regarded as highly important, by every intelligent man who is a serious inquirer after revealed truth. And if the views which you have disclosed will stand the test of examination, and shall appear to be those which the word of God maintains, or which it will justify, it certainly will be the duty of every friend to Christianity to embrace and promote them.

It is proper, no doubt, that every one who reads and reflects upon your sermon, should do it without prejudice or party views. Unless I am deceived as

B

to the state of my own feelings, I have endeavoured impartially to weigh the arguments, and examine the reasonings which it presents, with a wish to know and believe the truth. I dare not flatter myself, indeed, that I have perfectly succeeded in doing this; for every man who is acquainted with his own heart, will find reason to believe that he often has been, and may be again, deceived by it. But, as I am not conscious of party feelings on the present occasion, will you permit me, without apology, to lay before you my thoughts in regard to three topics of your discourse that stand in close connexion with each other, and are among the principal points in regard to which I feel myself compelled to dissent from your opinions?

The points to which I refer are-the principles of interpreting Scripture; the unity of God; and the divinity and humanity of the Saviour. I limit myself to these three, because it would require more time and labour than I can possibly spare at present, and more health than I enjoy, to express in writing my views of all the statements of doctrines which you have made. I might adduce another reason for confining myself within these limits. If the principles of reasoning which you adopt, and the results which you deduce from them, in regard to some of the points on which I am about to remark, are untenable or incorrect, the consequence of this must extend itself essentially to some of the remaining and most important topics which you have discussed in your sermon.

The general principles of interpreting Scripture you describe in the following manner.

"We regard the Scriptures as the records of God's successive revelations to mankind, and particularly of the last and most perfect revelation of his will by Jesus Christ. Whatever doctrines seem to us to be clearly taught in the Scriptures, we receive without reserve or exception. We do not, however, attach equal importance to all the books in this collection. Our religion, we believe, lies chiefly in the New Testament. The dispensation of Moses, compared with that of Jesus, we consider as imperfect, earthly, obscure, adapted to the childhood of the human race, a preparation for a nobler system, and chiefly useful now as serving to confirm and illustrate the Christian Scriptures. Jesus Christ is the only master of Christians; and whatever he taught, either during his personal ministry, or by his inspired Apostles, we regard as of divine authority, and profess to make the rule of our lives.

This authority which we give to the Scriptures, is a reason, we conceive, for studying them with peculiar care, and for inquiring anxiously into the principles of interpretation, by which their true meaning may be ascertained. The principles adopted by the class of Christians in whose name I speak, need to be explained, because they are often misunderstood. We are particularly accused of making an unwarrantable use of reason in the interpretation of Scripture. We are said to exalt reason above revelation, to prefer our own wisdom to God's. Loose and undefined charges of this kind are circulated so freely, and with such injurious intentions, that we think it due to ourselves, and to the cause of truth, to express our views with some particularity.

“Our leading principle in interpreting Scripture is this— that the Bible is a book written for men, in the language of men, and that its meaning is to be sought in the same manner as that of other books. We believe that God, when he condescends to speak and write, submits, if we may so say, to the established rules of speaking and writing. How else would the Scriptures avail us, more than if communicated in an unknown tongue?

"Now, all books and all conversation require in the reader or hearer the constant exercise of reason; or their true import is only to be obtained by continual comparison and inference. Human language, you well know, admits