482 Review Carpenter's Sermons on Christian Peace and Unity too much shnt against them. "I will again ask, are those principles which wrought in the minds of such men as Watts and Doddridge so deep a conviction of the malignity of sin, and so high a sense of the Divine justice and mercy in the redemption of sin ners by the death of Christ, are those prin ciples a mere delusion? Have they no foundation in the Gospel? Do they cease to pull down the strong holds of sin, and to convert transgressors to God, because some choice spirits of the present day chuse to call them superstitious and absurd? To these questions I am strongly disposed to answer in the negative." 37. Here amidst a few remarks which are just, and one or two inquiries which are pertinent, we find others that demand our strictures." To argument, where it is employed, argument may perhaps be opposed. But what course shall we take when the prejudices of men are addressed, instead of their un derstandings, and when an imposing tone and an unwarrantable sneer are substituted for fair discussion? Principles embraced even by a Watts and a Doddridge, may, nevertheless, be errors, may have no foundation in the Gospel. One is our Master: and that Master is Christ. Let not those who speak of certain opinions (which, it may be, have the sanction of great names), as unscriptural, be sarcastically denominated choice spirits. Some Trinitarians would bestow the sarcasm on Mr. Carpenter himself for denying the essential, underived Deity of Christ and some Calvinists, for his calling in question the doctrine of the Saviour's vicarious sacrifice. Of needlessly of fensive language in any class of controversialists we shall not be the advocates: in this gentleman it is eminently eensurable on account of his reiterated professions of candour, moderation and liberality.... the We are far from believing that the decline of a serious spirit has preceded the change of sentiment among Presbyterians. Indifference to religious truth and to the examination of the Scriptures, is, on the other hand, a symptom and a cause of decaying piety. There is no surer indication of the existence of a serious spirit" than a fearless regard to tenets which, however the world frown on them, are inculcated, as is our humble conviction, in the Sacred Volume. At the shrine of Religion numerous and costly sacrifices are made by several Unitarians: for the sake of what they deem the genuine faith of the Gospel, they have been contented to surrender temporal blessings of no trifling value, and to have their names cast out as evil. We do not remind our readers of this fact by way of boasting, but in order to repel the insinuation, from whatever quarter it proceed, in whatever style it be con veyed, that Unitarianism is inauspicious to " a serious spirit." 13. When Mr. C. asks (38)," have we any better commentators on the Scrip tures than Henry and Whitby and Doddridge and Orton?" We answer distinctly Yes. Of Henry and Whitby and Doddridge and Orton we think with high veneration: and most of their works we read with much satis faction and improvement. But we res peat, without hesitation, and, we trust, without a bias for or against particular systems of theology, that many better commentators on the Scriptures may be consulted. On the New Testament especially Bishop Pearce, Peirce of Exeter, Hallet, Benson, Lowman and Dean Woodhouse are more accurate (and, with an exception, perhaps, in the instance of Whitby, more learned) expositors. To shew our impartiality, we have purposely mentioned writers whose religious sentiments accord more nearly with the preacher's than with our's. For the correctness of our statement and our choice, we appeal to the knowledge and experience of those who are in the habit of studying the Scriptures. "Have they" [the moderns], further asks this gentleman, "found out by the examination of ancient M.S.S. that all those passages which speak of the divine nature and atonement of Christ are interpolations?" The difference between Mr. C. and the Unitarian Christian, is chiefly in concedes that the passages adverted to respect of interpretation. No Unitarian by our author "speak of the divine nature and atonement of Christ:" and it there be any texts which the Unita rian considers as interpolations, he so considers them on those principles of Biblical criticism which are admitted * Of the books of the Old Testament there has been a series of translations executed during the reign of his present Majesty. These, for the most- part, are accompanied by notes, and possess, in ge neral, superior merit. 1, ai Review-Carpenter's Sermons on Christian Peace and Unity. by theological scholars of all denominations. With the history and progress of this science for the larger proportion of the last half century Mr. C. would seem to be unacquainted: to ascertain the genuine text of Scripture, is one object; to interpret it, when ascertained, is another. It is a misfortune belonging to these and similar inquiries on the part of Mr. C. that his brethren, and not least his Trinitarian and Calvinistic brethren, may retort them on himself. For example, he may be asked, "Has any new revelation been sent us from heaven? Or have we any better commentators on the Scriptures than" Gill, Guyse, &c.? The writer before us, employs the words, the divine nature and atonement of Christ, in a very different import from that in which they are used by the orthodox denomination of Christians; though such of them as are ignorant of his real sentiments will perhaps rank him among their sect, on account of his adopting their current phraseology. We profess our ignorance of the connexion of his next remark with his subject: "Of those ministers who have changed their sentiments within these few years, I have known some who used to express themselves very strongly in favour of the doctrines which I have mentioned, and declare that they never could give them up as long as they found some passages in the New Testament which they mentioned. I cannot therefore account for the change which has taken place; and they will say it is no business of your's to account for it; I acknowledge the truth of this remark, and remain silent." But Mr. C. will excuse us for not maintaining the silence which, no doubt, he has good reason to preserve. We are of opinion that an account may and ought to be given of the change which he has stated: we believe that the gentlemen in whom it has been produced are desirous of it's being satisfactorily explained by him. And we cannot solve the phenomenon otherwise than by inferring that a conviction of the unscriptural nature and pretensions of the Arian, or reputed Arian, doctrine has been daily gaining ground. As to the confidence of these ministers-this, in itself, will prove nothing: their confidence might for merly be unfounded, and now it may rest on the firmer basis of careful read 482, ing and rigorous examination. This preacher, too, can be confident in assertion. 66 there is one question of great importance which" Mr. Carpenter (39) would intreat" the converts to Socinian principles to ask themselves,Have they received any benefit from their change of sentiment?" We beg per mission to join in this intreaty. Of what the answer will be we have no apprehension: and we wish that the inquiry may be seriously weighed and impartially applied. Some of the best observations in his second discourse, regard the practice of Christians ascribing to each other "sentiments which they do not maintain, and consequences which they do not allow" (40). Yet even here he exhibits some incorrectness: "How prone," he says, "are Unitarians to charge Trinitarians with contradiction and absurdity in maintaining that one is three and three are one." "The Trinitarians constitute a great majority of the Christian church; yet not one of them will say that three are one and one three, in the same sense-and that the same person or the same thing may be one and three in different senses, we must all allow-thus, for instance, the same person may be a clergyman, a justice of peace and a farmer, and it is in some such manner as this that some of them explain their notions of the doctrine of the Trinity." Be it known however to Mr. C. that such explanations are not commonly received by Trinitarians. Let us hear the language of a recent, a dexterous and, we presume, a popular writer on the principal points of the Socinian controversy."* "We do not," says he, " consider them [i.e. the dis tinguishing appellations, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit] as expressive of a distinction that is merely official, or as exhibiting the same Divine person under three different aspects: but as implying a real personal distinction, which has subsisted from eternity, and is essential to the nature of Deity." We must bestow unreserved commendation on the picture, which Mr. Carpenter places before us (44), of the union of Zeal, Prudence and Charity: "When those three heavenly sisters, Zeal, Prudence and Charity, walk hand in hand, what a lovely groupe do they form !· Wardlaw's Disc. &c. (2d edit.) p. 11, 484 Review Carpenter's Sermons on Christian Peace and Unity; The admiration of men, the delight of angels, the beloved of God! As they proceed, the flowers spring up under their feet, the rose of Sharon blossoms around them, and the lily of the vallies sheds it's sweetest perfume. The dew of Hermon and of the Mountains of Zion descends upon them, and the precious ointment goes down to the skirt of their garments. As they advance, the mountains and the hills break forth before them into singing, and all the trees of the field clap their hands. Instead of the thorn comes up the fir tree, and instead of the briar comes up the myrtle tree. They will enter every house that is open to receive them, they will enter every heart that is not shut against them. Let us throw open the doors of our houses, let us open wide the avenues of our hearts for their reception: for they will bless us in our temporal and they will bless us in our spiritual concerns. They will bless us in our basket and in our store, they will bless us in the city, and they will bless us in the field, they will bless us in our going out and in our coming in, they will bless ns in our domestic relations, in our family connections and in our friendly associations, and they will conduct us to the presence of the Prince of Peace and the God of Love." There is little which calls for notice in the fourth discourse. One obser vation we transcribe without a comment (52): **If Christiaus would but use words in the same sense, not mistake each other's meaning, and not deem small variations of sentiment ground for separation, I think they would find about seven divisions sufficient to comprebend them all; but now they are divided into I know not how many denominations, I believe not less than ten times seven." The pastoral address, &c. is pious and affectionate. To some however of the observations which it contains we must refuse our assent; though it will be less necessary to animadvert on them, in consequence of our ample review of the Discourses. We quote only a very few sentences (69): * The Socinian scheme may do for a few philosophic and well disposed minds; but I am persuaded will not do for the generality of Christians. They must have a Saviour who is more than human: they must have an atoning sacrifice: they must have a throne of grace, where they may apply not only for merey to pardon, but for grace to help them in their time of need: and they must have a high priest, who is touched with the feeling of their infirmities to intercede for them." In note 13 (101) Mr. C. explains a part of this language: "A throne of grace, &c." "Some of my Unitarian brethren have objected to the sentence in which these words are found, and allege that I have not given a fair statement of their sentiments. They say that they do believe and rejoice that there is a throne of grace, at which we may obtain mercy and find gracê; and also that we have a high priest, who is It was not my intention to deny this, but touched with the feeling of our infirmities. I am now sensible that I was not sufficiently accurate or sufficiently full in the statement which I made. I would therefore make the following alteration, which I apprehend will meet the ideas of those gentlemen who were present when this subject was discussed." "The generality of Christians must have a Saviour who is more than human: they must have an atoning sacrifice; they must have a throne of grace, where they may apply not only for mercy to pardon (as the Socinians allow): but also for grace to help them in time of need, (which many of them do not allow if by grace we mean the immediate assistance of the Holy Spirit) and they must have a high priest who is touched with the feeling of their infirmities, (which the Socinians allow that they have,, and also that he is now actively employed in promoting the welfare of Christians, but they do not allow that he intercedes for them or pleads their cause in the common acceptation of the word).” On the whole of this statement and explanation Mr. Carpenter's " Unitaran brethren" will, doubtless, observe, that numbers of Christians, besides the few of philosophic minds, actually entertain the views which our author pronounces unsuitable to their wants and habits; that to say the generality of Christians must have a throne of grace, is to deny that the Unitarians have such a throne; that this denial is itself imjust, and is made in a manner fitted to be offensive and injurious; that when Mr. C. became sensible of his edition, either have expunged the obinaccuracy, he should, in his second noxious clause or have incorporated his note with the text; that, after all, his amendment and his illustration are unsatisfactory; inasmuch as they prove nothing more than that he and the Unitarians differ in their interpretation of some Scriptural terms; that the throne of grace is the throne of favour that Divine favour, however dispensed, is earnestly supplicated by Unitarian Review.-Carpenter's Sermons on Christian Peace and Unity. Christians; and, finally, that the priesthood of Christ and his intercession are never connected together by the Sacred Writers; so that it may now be easily determined, whether Mr. C. or his "Unitarian brethren" shew the greater reverence for the volume of revelation? Are they deficient in this reverence who study to quote the Scriptures faithfully, and to expound them with an uniform regard to the subject and the context? The same process of interpretation, would have conducted our preacher to the real meaning of Matt. xi. 27, No man knoweth the Son but the Father:' it would have shewn him that our Lord there speaks not of the person of either the Son or the Father, but solely of the extent of the dispensation of the Gospel (66). It is a much easier undertaking to explain Scripture by it's sound, and in conformity with a previous hypothesis, than by a strict comparison of one passage with another. Most of Mr. C.'s notes and anecdotes, might have been omitted without any loss of reputation to the author or of advantage to the reader. To be "narrative with age," is not the character of the great Clarendon alone. The anecdotes which the writer under our review has appended to the second edition of his discourses, are chiefly of the nature of table talk, and, however good-humoured, possess little general interest and exhibit little discriminationdicenda, tacenda locutus. We extract some few biographical memoranda of "the late Rev. Thomas Urwick." 91. "He was born of respectable parents in the neighbourhood of Shrewsbury, and, having attained [obtained] a competent share of classical learning, spent part of his academical course under the tuition of Dr. Doddridge, at Northampton." "The remainder of it was [was passed] at Glasgow, under Dr. Leechman, whose celebrity as Divinity professor attracted many students to enjoy the benefit of his lectures." "The first place at which he settled was Worcester, Here he resided for many years, respected and beloved: till at length sighing after retirement he went and settled at Narborough, a village near Leicester." "But retirement was not suited to his active mind and his ministerial talents were too well known to suffer him to remain long in obscurity. He received an invitation from the respectable congregation at Clapham to succeed their late pastor Dr. Furneaux." 485 "His distinguishing characteristic was simplicity.-He was born Dec. 8, 1727; died Feb. 26, 1807, and was twenty-six years pastor of the congregation at Clapham." We have reason to believe that Mr. Urwick became a student at North ampton, about the year 1747 or 1748. Here, and subsequently at Glasgow, the late Rev. Newcome Cappe was one of his academical companions and most intimate friends. And Mr. U. was the "venerable minister of the gospel" who, in 1802, attested, with all the eloquence of the heart, the excellencies Praise more of his former associate.* honourable to the memory of it's object as well as to the judgment and feelings of the giver was never bestowed; and none could be more soothing and gratifying to surviving relatives." During his residence at Clapham, Mr. Urwick "was particularly serviceable to young men (C2), in advising and directing them to proper situations; and amongst the rest to the celebrated Joseph Lancaster," from whom, a few weeks ago, our author received the following particulars of his life:" "He was born of pious parents in London, and when he was about fifteen years old, felt so deep though misguided a sense of religion that he resolved to retire from the world and devote himself to God in some remote and secluded part of the earth. With this view he went to Bristol. But the little substance he took with him being soon exhausted, he was obliged to cater on board a tender. Here he commenced a preacher to the sailors; and though at first he was treated with ridicule, yet afterwards. his plain and heartfelt addresses made a serious impression on their minds. In the mean time, his parents were much afflicted at his loss [at losing him], and though they were acquainted with his situation could afford him no relief. At this time, it accidentally or rather providentially hap pened that Mr. Urwick going into the shop of his father to purchase some trifling article, found his mother in tears, and inquiring the cause, was so much affected with the account she gave him of her son, that he made application to persons of influence, and obtained an order for his release. Lancaster was surprised to see an officer of rank come on board, and not only take him on shore, but supply him with money and slothes for his journey from * In a letter to the highly valuable relict of Mr. Cappe. Memoirs of his Life, prefixed to Discourses, &c. (1805) axiü. 486 Obituary-Miss Sarah Moggridge. Plymouth to London. By this time he was convinced, as he told me, that no life can be pleasing to God which is not useful to Accordingly, he set up a school; but though the number of his scholars soon became considerable, his pay was so small and soften withheld, that necessity led man. is the Christ:* and to this principle the preacher has been less attentive than his topic and the connexion of his text demanded. Unhappily, too, the fre quent absence of precision from his statements and reasonings, prevents the him by degrees to find out that plan of fulfilment of his evident wish to be just education which has been so useful and which goes by his name." In the tenth note (97) Mr. C. makes this declaration : if I were ever to change my sentime its, I should sooner yield to the mild pers iasion of a Lindsey or a Toulmin than to the bold aud decisive, not to say dogmati al, assertions of authors of a more con ident tone and a more sanguine temperi nent." An Irenicum, in order to produce it's des red effect, should be written with soli judgment and with a conciliatory tem er. In the former of these quaIncations we are humbly of opinion that Mr. Carpenter is defective: the grand Scriptural bond of union among all Christians is, or ought to be, their common belief that Jesus their Master and kind in his representations of the sentiments of those of his brethren who have the fortune to differ from himself. Sometimes he even appears to forget that there are the same laws of controversy for both Arians and Unitarians! Reluctantly therefore we must pronounce that these Sermons are ill calculated to promote Christian peace anď unity; which objects, it is our persua sion, are more likely to be advanced by Ir. Carpenter's life and character than by his present labours in theological literature, It is remarkable that Hobbes, “de Cive" (Amsterd. 1669), thus expresses himself. "Dico alium articulum fidei præter hunc, JESUM ESSE CHRISTUM, homini Christiano, ut necessarium ad salutem requiri nullum." P. 386. OBITUARY. On Friday the 5th of July last, at Lon Fmney, in the county of Monmouth, calmly fell asleep in Jesus, ere long to awake to eternal life and happiness, in the 21st year of her age, SARAI, the eldest daughter of JOHN H. MOGGRIDGE, Esq. At a period like the present, when religion, which ought to constitute "our being's end and aim," possesses so weak a hold on the thoughts, the affections, and the pursuits of the human race, it may perhaps in some degree contribute to the spread and influence of genuine Christianity (identified in the mind of the writer with the undivided unity and the un-purchased love of the Universal Parent), briefly to state a few particulars respecting the lovely and excellent young person, whose removal from this state of trial and discipline is now announced to the public. In the possession and prospec of a rich variety of earthly blessings, she was enabled by those just and elevated conceptions which an excellent understanding, applied to the study of sacred truth, had induced her to form of the character and perfections of the Supreme Being, and by the glorions prospot of a happy immortality, meekly to resign herself into the hands of her heavenly Father; and with a degree of self-annihila to administer such consolation and advice to the objects of ber affectionate solicitude, as could only have been expected from the ripened judgment of maturer years.. Consoled by the recollection of her vir tues, animated by her bright example, and mindful of her last request, the surviving objects of her tenderest affection "sorrow not as those without hope;" firmly be lieving " that as Jesus died and rose again, even se those also who sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him in that glorious day, when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, this mortal be clothed with immortality, and death be swallowed up in victory!" "When loveliness array'd in op'ning bloom, Fram'd to delight the sense, the heart to tion and Christian-fortitude truly admirable, Penmain, Aug. 14, 1816. E.H.P. |