ART. LXXXIV. Hints to the Public and the Legislature on the Nature and Effect of Evangelical Preaching. By a BARRISTER. Part the First. ART. LXXXV. A Letter to a Barrister, in Answer to Hints to the Public, &c. By ROBERT HAWKER, D.D. Vicar of Charles, Plymouth. ART. LXXXVI. Hints to the Public and the Legislature. By a BARRISTER. Part the Second. ART. LXXXVII. A Second Letter to the Barrister, in Reply to the Second Part of his Hints to the Public. By ROBERT HAWKER, D. D. ART. LXXXVIII. A Vindication of the Nature and Effect of Evangelical Preaching; in a Letter to a Barrister: occasioned by the First Part of his Hints to the Public and the Legislature. With a Postscript, containing Strictures on his Second Part. By JOHN STYLES. For ART. LXXXIX. The Legislature alarmed, and the Barrister unmasked! occasioned by Hints to the Public and the Legislature, on the Nature and Effect of Evangelical Preaching, by a Barrister. By VIGIL. THE controversy which the Barrister's Hints have excited will not, it is probable, be very soon laid to rest. The combatants consider the cause for which they are contending of the utmost importance. The Barrister affirms, that the salvation of his country depends in no small measure upon the sort of encouragement that is given to evangelical preaching: on the other hand, Dr. Hawker and his fellowlabourers aver, that the doctrines which they teach are those only which can secure to man the favour of heaven, and that they are the genuine doctrines of the established church of England. That the doctrines of those who style themselves evangelical preachers are the same as those contained in the articles and liturgy of the national church, cannot, we imagine, be easily contradicted, if the com parison be made by a person in the possession of common sense: but it is equally certain that they are hostile to the sentiments of the great majority of our clergy. At tempts we know have been made again and again to reconcile the articles to Arminian sentiments, but we think without any appearance of success. Dr. Hawker claims the appellation of an evangelical preacher, and the honour cf being a true son of that church of which he is a member. The Barrister however maintains, that the tendency of Dr. Hawker's discour ses and writings, and those of his coadjutors, is evidently to extirpate all morality, and to encourage idle.. ness, debauchery, and every species of wickedness. This unquestionably is a serious charge, and if the mind of the Barrister be deeply impressed with its truth, we cannot wonder that he should wish to warn his countrymen against the mischief which has of late increased, is increasing in a mighty ratio, and which, he may well think, ought to be checked. this he would not be blamed if he recommended such means only to be used, as the spirit of free enquiry, and of our constitution would justify. If he intended, as one part of his pamphlet affirms, only to rouse the attention of the clergy and people to a proper sense of their danger from the increase of these evangelical preachers, it would be all well, and he might merit the thanks of that public for whom he has thrown out his "Hints.” But if by Hints to the Legislature" he means to call forth the arm of power in defence of what he advocates as the cause of order and morality; if he wish to draw from her accursed cell the fiend persecution; if he would lence and eject from their livings those who conscientiously and zealously preach what they denominate the free doctrines of grace, in that case we affirm he has very ill studied the constitution which his profession should lead him to understand, cherish and adore, and that his "Hints" should be reprobated by every honest man as they are by Dr. Hawker, Mr. Styles, and Verax, We trust, however, that the Barrister has been calumniated in supposing him a friend to persecution; still it must be admitted that he has given room for the supposition. The quotation from the Antijacobin, p. 73-4, and its application to evangelical preaching, and the motto which he has selected for his second part of the "Hints," will almost justify the suspicion that he is not a true and sincere friend to the principles of toleration in their best sense. The latter of these passages we will transcribe, precisely as it stands in the Barrister's title page. "What remedies are fit for this disease-whether the fault be in the LAWS, or in the MEN-whether the cure be a work of time and patience, or of zeal and diligence, or whether any new expedient can be found to secure the ship from that storm which the swelling of two contrary tides seem to threaten-IS WHOLLY LEFT TO YOUR ADVICE." We know full well what " new laid himself "The greatest blessing this country enjoys is the Toleration act, which suffers every man to hear the teacher he most approves, and which defends his teacher from opposition and injury, and preserves him in his situation, without his being liable to be torn from his people by any common exigency of the state, which may demand the presence and cooperation of other men. The Toleration act justly supposes, that if I am a fool, and like to hear another fool, I have a natural right to do it; and will you dispute this? Yes, Sir; you cannot tolerate self-appointed teachers; you wish some plan to be adopted to prevent their increase. However, we apprehend no above a century, has beheld the charming danger from a government, which, for effects resulting from a free and universal toleration. May this toleration never be infringed or trampled on! and may we never be destiture of self-appointed teachers! Woe be to that country which cannot boast of such men, Every author that publishes a book is self-appointed; every man that stands up to enlighten an auditory in any of the branches of science, is self-appointed. Would you bring back again the Star. chamber, and the triers, and licences of the days of despotism? Would you feel happy in the thought of committing your previous manuscripts to the care and scrutiny of an individual, or a committee appointed by government, and to wait for his or their " imprimatur," before you would announce your inva luable productions to the world? No; but you would willingly subject the friends of evangelical religion to this violation of their liberty, as men and as Christians. But remember, if you admit the principle, you can never controul its operation. If you acknowledge a right in the legislature to deprive the evangelical clergy and dissenting ministers of what you are pleased to call " cial immunities and exclusive privileges," you give birth to a principle, which in the end may be fatal to yourself; unless you have wisely resolved, that on the subjects of religion and politics you will always maintain the sentiments of the ruling powers." "spe The barrister we suspect has not carried his enquiries to any con siderable extent, or has not ex.. ercised his usual powers of discrimination in admitting as facts all that has been stated by Mr. Colquhoun, and yet upon these facts he lays much stress. We feel that the state of society is bad in the metropolis, particularly among the lower classes, but we cannot admit the conclusions of Mr. C. nor do we believe that he ever took sufficient pains to ascertain the facts which ought to have been stated as the data of those important and alarming results which he deduces from them. The barrister, however, assumes that crimes are annually committed to the extent described by the police magistrate, and is desirous of throw ing the blame on evangelical preaching: "In what, let us ask, does all this mass of evil originate?-Does it not originate in the breach of those moral duties which are the sum and substance of true religion? It is utterly impossible that government can be long held together if this dreadful catalogue continues to increase. But increase it will, increase it must, if the inhabitants of that great city in which this system of profligate immorality prevails, instead of being taught to shudder at the transgression of those moral duties, the neglect of which it is that produces this shocking catalogue of crimes just now brought under our view; if instead of being taught that the reward of eternal life is promised only to those who persevere in well-doing, and that unless they strive by obedience to merit that reward, they will assuredly lose it in that day when God will judge the world in righteousness, and give to every man according tohis works: if, I say, instead of this, they are to be told and assured from the press and from the fulpit, that no qualification of merit is necessary, that they may multiplytheir offences to what degree they please; that the seducer, the gambler, the drunkard, the prostitute, the sharper, the robber, may all proceed in their career of infamy, that their lives cannot be too impure, or their offences too many or too aggravated; for that when once the weapon of sin shall fall If," says he, "those who term themselves evangelical preachers, instead of enforcing the moral duties of men in so ciety, preach to all the lower orders, doctrines which go directly to destroy their doctrines must do, if they have any them, which I shall proceed to prove practical influence at all, can it be won dered that the morals of the rising generation should grow worse.' " To these charges Dr. Hawker replies "You say that evangelical preaching is the great inlet to sin. It is to the want of it that I ascribe the abounding of iniquity. You contend that the doctrines of grace lead to licentiousness. I assert, that it is that grace alone which bringeth salvation, which can teach us, or when taught, enable us to practise the divine lessons of denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. In your calculation, a system of morality is competent to the full correction of the minds and manners of the people. According to my creed, nothing short of change of heart can accomplish a reform." "We contend, sir, and upon the most convincing evidences we prove also, in the lives and conversation of all that are the real partakers of grace, that it is a doctrine after godliness. Every thing that is amiable is included in it, as referring to all the great branches of moral and religious practice. And we challenge the world to the strictest scrutiny into the conduct of those who really, and truly, and heartily receive the doctrines of grace, so as to live under their blessed influence, whether they are or not examples of the believers, in a word, in conversation, in charity, inspirit, in faith, in purity. "It is impossible, indeed, it should be otherwise, for it cannot fail of its effect in a single instance. If a saving change from God's Holy Spirit hath passed upon the heart, the sure consequence st follow. And you will be pleased, s, to remember, that to the accomplishment of this one great design, the whole tendency of evangelical preaching, as an instrument in the hand of God, is directed." We have selected these passages from the barrister and his principal opponent, as being admirably adapted to exhibit the nature of the controversy, and the hinges upon which the chief arguments in the several pamphlets enumerated at the head of this article, turn. The dispute is far from new, but the barrister, as well from his talents, as from his mode of discussion, has given a considerable degree of interest to a very hacknied topic, which we plead in justification of ourselves should we transgress the bounds usually allowed to controversial pieces. We are not insensible to the rapid progress which evangelical preaching is making anong uswe cannot be ignorant of the methods which are taken by the leaders of this party to increase the number of their proselytes, and to augment their influence in every part of the kingdom, yet we do not, and cannot impute the increase of crimes as the effect of these exertions; we are ready to believe, and we suspect facts, as well as Dr. Hawker's assertion, will bear us out in the supposition, that those who associate themselves with the self-stlyed saints, will in general be free from those vices and enormities described by the police magistrate, and of the increase of which the barrister complains. In saying this we do not mean to give them credit for a jot more of the virtues recommended in the gospel than is to be found among the members of other sects and the followers of other doctrines. That they possess a sufficient portion of what is aptly called spiritual pride must be evident to any observer; and that they are equally, with their fellow Christians, desirous of wealth, of distinction, and influence, will not be denied, we should hope, even by themselves. We might indeed go much farther and assume, that no religious party in this country exhibits half, or if the Wesleian methodists be excepted, even the hundredth part of their ambition in gaining followers; they will tell us, perhaps, their only view is to save souls, but their writings and their discourses savour of something else: they work themselves up to believe that they only are the elect of God, and there is every reason to believe, that if they possessed the power, the will would not be want. ing to compel others to come into their church. They insolently assume to themselves exclusively the title of evangelical, though they are perpetually preaching doctrines which are as remote from what is to be found in the four gospels as light is removed from darkness. Let them examine all the discourses of their master, Christ, and let them, if they can, point out any sanction to the doctrines which they impiously denominate evangelical: they go and must go to prophecies which they do not understand, and which they readily misinterpret; or to some obscure passages in the epistles which are hard to be understood, and which they pervert, for a justification of their leading and favourite tenets. This, we admit with the barrister, may often be productive of real mischief, but by no means to the extent which he imagines.-The outcasts of society will not go to chapel to be there told the viler the sinner, the more is he the object of God's mercy: the great mass of those in the lower classes of society who are living on the plunder of their neighbours are probably ignorant of all or any of motives which the gospel holds out to men to become virtuous and good:-and are not on that account so much the objects of punishment, as they are of pity and commiseration: and we could wish, notwithstanding what we have said, that such could be induced to frequent the tabernacle, or the churches where such men as Dr. Hawker officiate The chances for reformation would be much in their favour: such characters would be more likely to be affected by the vehemence and terrors displayed at these places, than by the moral discourses, however excellent, delivered by the generality of the clergy. In this view of the subject we deprecate the interference of the magistrate with evangelical preachers; they are on the whole useful men, and valuable members of society; and merit the protection, not the punishment of the civil magistrate. It is right, bowever, that their conduct, where it offends against candour and moral propriety, should be exposed, and the barrister will inform multitudes of what they were before ignorant, and if he excite the clergy, who do not call themselves evangelica but who are really more so than those who assume the title, to more vigilance and circumspection, and to a more zealous performance of their duties, which are of the utmost importance to the well being of society, he will have reason to rejoice that he has not laboured in vain. If the clergy would exert themselves in the cause of religion; if they would preach with the same zeal as the barrister writes; if like him they would take pains in instructing their parishioners in the leading and fundamental doctrines of the gospel, and shew their several "bearings," they would have no cause to be alarmed at the snarls and ignorant casins of certain preachers, who in the pulpit frequently display more of the buffoon, than any hired fool in the pantomime. The English clergy are not in so low a state of degra dation as to dread a similar fate to that which was experienced by their brethren in France: they have but to assume their proper character, to manifest a becoming and dignified zeal in the best cause in the world, to become respected by all, and to obtain the affection of their several flocks. We have been led to these observations from the perusal chiefly of the two first pamphlets in this con troversy, we must not however wholly pass over the others. The second part of the barrister's hints contains a more full exposition of the methods made use of by the evangelical preachers for disseminating their doctrines ; but displays gross ignorance of the history and institutions of the dissenters. In Dr. Hawker's second letter the charge of unitarianism is brought against the barrister. This discovery unravels all the mystery which before attached to the "Hints." "We are no longer at a loss to explain the cause of that high dis pleasure you have shewn, both at the doctrines, and preachers of evange lical truth. All astonishment ceaseth with this discovery. It can be no more the subject of surprise, that the initarian bypothesis (as in the lightness of your mind, you presume to call that sacred doctrine of the Lible,) should offend you. The public and the legisla ture will now be fully prepared, to look at any further exhibitions you may think rpoper to bring before them of divine |