the reformed: churches (in which they had endeavoured to propagate their opinions) they became a distinct society about the year 1565-bitherto indeed, they had not carried matters so far as they did afterwards, for they professed chiefly the Arian doctrine, that the Son and the Spirit were two distinct natures begotten by the Father, and subordinate to him-but in process of time they proceeded to attribute to Christ, no other dignity than that of a divine messenger; and some of them denied his miraculous conception, and probably viewed him merely in the character of a righteous man-hence it is no wonder that their influence has decreased, as these sentiments pursued to their end, divest the gospel of those hopes and motives to repentance and holiness, which give it the advantage of every other dispensation-and as these hopes and motives are founded upon the doctrine. of the atonement, and the divine nature of Him who was the propitiation for sin; the entertainment of such sentiments, seems to me synonimous, with an entire rejection of the gospel, of which those doctrines form the essential characters and as it appears from the accounts of this people (if the representations of the historian be true) that they proceed to reject another most essential truth. of christianity—namely, the influence of the Holy Spirit upon the minds of men-I consider their opinions, with whatever plausibility they may be propounded, or however they may be supported by men of learning and popularity, as dangerous errors, which ought to be rejected with the utmost detestation by every sincere. christian. FROM DR. BROWNE'S PRINCIPLES AND MANNERS OF THE TIMES. After having pourtrayed in striking colours the requisite qualities of a great minister or statesman, (a character which does not immediately lye in my way,) he proceeds to sketch that of an impartial political writerand because in this latter portrait, I find several features, which ought to distinguish every writer upon every theme-I am the more desirous to preserve, and perpetuate them. CHARACTER OF AN IMPARTIAL POLITICAL WRITER. "This is a character which hath never yet existed ;*1 nor probably will ever appear in our own country. However let us attempt a sketch of this ideal portrait, for the use of those who may aspire to impartiality; and consider by what characteristics he would be distinguished." He would chuse an untrodden path of politics, where no party man ever dared to enter." "He would be disliked by party bigots of every denomination; who while they applauded one page of his work, would execrate the next." "The undisguised freedom and boldness of his manner, would please the brave, astonish the weak, disgust and confound the guilty." "Every rank party and profession, would acknowledge he had done tolerable justice to every rank, party and profession, their own only excepted.' "He would be called arrogant, by those who call every thing arrogance that is not servility." "If he wrote in a period whenhis country was declining; while he pointed out the means from whence alone honest hope could arise, he would be charged by scribbling sycophants with plunging a nation in despair." "While he pointed out the abuses of freedom, and their fatal effects, he would be blackened by designing. whisperers as the enemy of freedom itself." "The worthless of every profession would be his sworn enemies; but most of all, the worthless of his own profession." "As he would be reviled and defamed by the dissolute great without cause, so he would be applauded by au honest people beyond his deservings." "Tho' his abilities were small, yet the integrity of his intentions would make amends for the mediocrity of his talents." "As such a writer could have little pretensions to literary fame, so he would not be intoxicated with the fumes of literary vanity. But would think with Sheffield, that "One moral, or a mere well natured deed, * Can this be possible? Yet though he scorned the gildings of false ambition and riches acquired by adulation; he might not possibly be unconscious of that unsought dignity, that envied superiority to wealth and titles, which even the love of wisdom and virtue give." "Should any of the great, therefore, affect to disdain. bim, on account of his private station, he might perhaps reply with Perdita, "I was not much afraid: for once or twice, I was about to speak, and tell him plainly, "His free and unconquered spirit would look down with contempt on views of interest, when they came in competition with views of duty." 66 Nay were he called to so severe a trial, he would even dare to make the greatest and the rarest of all honest sacrifices, that of friendship itself to truth and virtue." Should the sense of his duty to his country, determine him to a farther prosecution of his labors he would say, "If such his fate, do thou fair truth descend, To court no friend, nor own a foe, but thine. Urge, urge thy power, the black attempt confound, FINIS. ERRATA. P. 18, line 8, for forgetten read forgotten. 21, - 25, 48, 1, for it at read is it at. 10, for in order taste read in order to taste. 16, for it carried too much of the Jew and the Gentile, read it carried with it too much of the leaven of the Jew and the Gentile. 52,-20, for evinced read evidenced. 140, 22, for blessings read blessing. 169, 21, omit the words both before and since the revolution. 170, 21, for present, or read ancient, and. · 45, — 5th and 6th from the bottom, for to draw down the divine vengeance upon it, read to involve it in the effects of his transgression. 5, for possesses read receives. for 23d 24th, and 25th lines, read feeling that in themselves there is neither righteousness nor strength, have chosen Jesus for the rock of their salvation, and labour with the strength they have to build upon this rock, fruits of justice. 9, from the bottom, for the fall and the redemption, read as the fall, so the redemption. 5 for than divinity, read than of divinity. 10, for censoriousness which must always read deep ignorance of religious truth which always. 4, for adapted read adopted. 13, for this read that. -353,9 and 10, former contemplation of this work, alludes principally to the "Propositions of Jansenius examined," which the Author designed to have published with this Volume-but which, with other Pieces, have been necessarily omitted. 20, for view read vein. 8, of the note, for misery read mercy. 18, for read 9, for errors read error. the last, for have read shed. 18, for sentiments read sentiment. 3, of the note, for the first sentiments read passions. - 433, 435, 436, 441, 447, 448, -2, for eternity of those beings for whom laws were made, read eternity of those laws of which Voltaire speaks. -- 18, for internal and external revelation, read that internal and external revelation which has been given. last line but 2, for informs read inform. 22, of the note, for the civil and religious read the religious. - 4, of said note from the bottom, for codes cut read codes which cut. 10, from the bottom, for into read in. 9, under BAPTISM, for who read that they. 15, under ditto, for uncleanliness read uncleanness. -454, 9, for pleasures read pleasure.. -457, - 1, insert the word machine, after the word mere. N. B. Some errors of minor importance have been omitted in the above list, as it was not thought expedient to divert the Reader's attention too much from the subject matter of the workhis own judgment, it is hoped, will correct these errors as he passes along. TO THE CITIZENS OF DUBLIN. Those Citizens who have given their support to the Author in the publication of this volume, and all others who wish to procure his future publications; are respectfully referred to JOHN GOUGH, BOOKSELLER, No. 20, Meath-street, for the necessary information, who will also take down the names of subscribers. |