Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

pretend to have been free from the impression of these feelings. I trust however, I have not per

originality, dull without sobriety, flippant without wit, and contagious without allurement." (Discourses on various Subjects, p. 145.)—A feature equally appropriate, and more offensive because more insulting and more mischievous, remains to be added to the picture; namely, an imposing affectation of superior knowledge without possessing any of its attainments. That grandest of all mischiefs, which an admired ancient has described as, Αμαθια τις μαλα χαλεπής δοκεσα είναι μεγιση Φρόνησις, eminently belongs to the race of modern Socinians, or Unitarians as they choose to call them. selves; and requires of course only to be unmasked in order to be put down. To this, I confess, my efforts (throughout this appendix especially) have been particularly directed: and so anxious have I been to effect this point, which in such a case I conceive to be vital, that I have not hesitated to expose myself to those imputations, which are generally cast upon the liberality and the politeness of the writer, who scruples not to press home truths in a direct manner, without fear, and without compromise. If I have had the good fortune to accomplish this object, I am satisfied to submit to whatever consequences may follow.

I am not, indeed, without the apprehension, that I may appear to assume somewhat too much in the application of the following passage from Bishop Warburton: and yet it approaches so nearly to the state of my own feelings, in winding up this appendix, that I cannot avoid transcribing it. In speaking of the particular manner, in which he had thought it right to treat the pernicious sophistries which were opposed to the fundamental truths of Christianity, that glowing and powerful writer thus expresses himself." He knows what the gentle reader thinks of it. But he is not one

mitted them to carry me beyond the due limits. My object has been truth: and my wish, not unnecessarily to hurt the feelings of Mr. B. or of those, who with him assume the title of Unitarians. If, to the body of that denomination at large, I have attributed sentiments and opinions, which they do not recognise as justly imputable, it is to Mr. Belsham, not to me, they are to ascribe the error. My representation of their peculiar tenets, has been chiefly derived from the work, which he has given to the public with the express purpose of promulging, and vindicating, the creed of the Unitarians, or Ra

of those opposers of Infidelity, who can reason without ear. nestness, and confute without warmth. He leaves it to others, to the soft Divine, and courtly Controversialist, to combat the most flagitious tenets with serenity; or maintain the most awful of religious truths in a way, that misleads the unwary reader into an opinion of their making but little impression on the writer's own heart. For himself, he freely owns, he is apt to kindle as he writes; and would even blush to repel an insult on sense and virtue with less vigour than every honest man is expected to shew in his own cause.”Remarks on Hume's Essay, &c. p. 12.

Such observations as have been added to the Appendix, since the appearance of the first Edition of this work, it has been thought right to introduce in the form of Notes, so as to leave the text (as it originally stood) unaltered.

tional Christians.

1

If he has not been a faith

ful interpreter of their opinions, it is theirs to correct the mistake. Hitherto that publication has been circulated, as the Unitarian Manual; and whatever reception it may have experienced from others, has certainly seemed to obtain among that description of Christians, no small portion of applause.

INDEX

OF THE

PRINCIPAL MATTERS.

A

Abraham's intended sacrifice of Isaac-a singular resem
blance to it in the Mystical sacrifice of the Phenicians, i.
389-399.

ATNOHMATA, or sins of ignorance, fully explained, i.
339-345-Opinion of the Rabbis concerning sins of this
description, i. 267-269.

Animal food not granted to man before the flood, ii. 31

-45.

Apostolical Fathers their references to various passages
of the New Testament, ii. 476-481-the nature and ob
jects of their writings, ii. 468, 476-483-their silence
respecting the first two chapters of St. Matthew falsely urged
as an argument against the authenticity of those chapters,
ii. 467-483.

Articles (Thirty-nine)-not to be subscribed unless by
those who believe the doctrines which they propound, ii. 365,
366, 371, 372—the bearing of the Sixth Article on the
interpretation of the rest, ii. 366-Mr. Fellowes's unjus-
tifiable notions of their meaning and obligation, ii. 364–374

Dr. Paley, Mr. Gisborne, Dr. Powell, and the Bishop
of Lincoln referred to upon their interpretation, ii. 371, 372
reduced in number from thirty-nine to twenty-five by
К к

VOL. II.

Mr. Wesley; and those which are retained by him, materially
altered, i. 162.

Asiatic Researches-the London Edition of this work con.
tains a wicked fabrication intended to subvert revelation, ii.
285, 286.

་་

Atonement the received doctrine of, objected to on the
ground that Christ's death was not a propitiatory sacrifice,
i. 29Objection answered by texts of scripture describing
it as such, i. 29, 222-Objected, that the language in these
texts is figurative, i. 30, 223, 247, 255-Objection an-
swered, i. 31, 32, 216-259-Leading arguments against
the doctrine, urged with their greatest force by Ben. Mor-
decai, i. 256- -Levitical atonement said by B. Mordecai
and Dr. Priestley to imply only ceremonial purification, i.
325, 332-the contrary shewn, i. 325–332———-more mi
nutely argued, i. 333-352—Atonements in the Old Tes
tament extended to the violations of moral law,
and pro-
cured a real forgiveness, i. 33, 34, 345-351-Objections
against the doctrine, unfairly drawn from the expression,
vicarious punishment, i. 352-354-Arguments brought
by Sykes and B. Mordecai against the doctrine, on the sup-
position of an implied vicarious substitution, i. 354-shewn
to have no weight against the true notion of atonement, i.
355-365- Christian atonement described by the terms,
bearing sins, &c. in such manner, as to convey the propiti-
atory and vicarious import more strongly than is expressed in
the Mosaic, i. 356, 357, 395, 396inconsistency in the ar
guments urged on this head against the doctrine, i. 396-lan-
guage of the New Testament more circumstantial and precise
upon the nature of atonement, than that of the Old, i. 60,
61. ii. 262-264-contended by Dr. Priestley, that no
trace whatever of the doctrine is to be found either in Old op
New Testament, i. 471 refuted, i. 471-475-the doc
trine, why not as fully explained in the Gospels as in the
Epistles, i. 473-475. ii. 362-Doctrine of atonement does

« VorigeDoorgaan »