PREFACE ΤΟ THE SECOND EDITION. BETWEEN the years 1750 and 1760, there could be no great sin: there are no articles were at the University of Oxford a set of of faith in Natural Philosophy; except it be Gentlemen, whose studies in Divinity and this one, that God was the maker of the world. Natural Philosophy procured them the name The world itself is open to all; and a very of Hutchinsonians. They were then, and difficult subject it is; about which learned are still (though not so much as formerly,) men will differ after all their inquiries; and spoken against with more than ordinary con- they should be indulgent to the errors, or retempt and acrimony; as if they were the puted errors, of each other, as they affect to most mistaken in their opinions, and the be in higher subjects. The best of Sir Isaac most dangerous in their attempts, of any men Newton's friends, and the most capable of that ever infested the Christian church: following him in his speculations, have had, which being so strange a thing in an age tender and still have, their doubts; and those of no to all persuasions, and affecting universal small importance. He was accused of introcandor, there must have been something very ducing the old, useless doctrine of occult quanew and singular in the case, to have raised lities: he provided against it by his ether; such an unaccountable alarm. Even arch- but for this he is blamed more than ever. The bishop Secker (then bishop Oxford) who cer- learned Professor of Edinburgh, who has latetainly was a good and charitable man, had ly done so much service to the public by unhis prejudices against them; which he ex-veiling the darkest and blackest conspiracy pressed in a Charge to his clergy at a visitation; but it is now pretty well known, that his opinion was greatly altered upon this subject, long before the time of his death. Upon these Gentlemen a name was imposed very unfairly, because it marked them out as a party; a bad thing in itself; and in conse quence of which some are made answerable for the faults of others. The whole affair is curious; and in justice calls for a more impartial examination; such as it may possibly meet with in these times, when the outrageous wickedness of the world has brought all honest and good men nearer together; and united them in one great struggle against barbarians, who are the sworn enemies of truth, wisdom, and humanity. Great offence was taken against the Hutchinsonians, because they expressed their doubts in regard to some commonly received opinions in Natural Philosophy. In this there VOL. II. 56 that ever disgraced the annals of the world, finding that this ether has had its share in the greatest errors of the time, calls it a whim, invented in an unhappy hour, when its author was under provocation; by which he paved the way for much of the atomical philosophy (the atheistic Materialism) of the moderns.* The fact, it is to be feared, is too much according to the learned Professor's report, how ill soever it may agree with reason: but let it be as it will, it seems to be a worse blot than any Hutchinsonian ever cast upon the memory of Newton. This accident is to be lamented; because his Ether has been thought to lessen the objection against his Qualities, and to give his whole philosophy a nearer alliance to the real powers of nature, particularly to those which discover themselves to us in electricity: on which consideration, See Proofs of a Conspiracy, &c. by J. Robinson, p. 484, 3d Edit. many philosophers who certainly are not who will teach them a forcible way of reaatheists, would have been glad to keep it, and soning, against which no infidel will be able make the most of it. If Newton suffers under to keep his ground. Among many excellent abuses and ill reports, well may the name of things here to be found, nothing hurtful is inHutchinson be expected to labor under a load termixed; nothing contrary to good sense, of reproach and misrepresentation. That he sound learning, or the faith of the church of was without exception, the gentlemen who England. Let no man, therefore, who loves approved his principles never thought. They the church or the government (which God well knew that his doctrines wanted a great preserve!) be afraid of any harm from such deal of sifting; though his general principles young men as may be struck with the matter were good, and will stand the test of discus- of this pamphlet. They will make good subsion so long as men shall be inclined to dis-jects, good churchmen, and good Christians: pute, that is, to the end of the world. and their learning, if they should be diligent, Things, we know, are not to be voted right will give them a rank above the common rate or wrong from their alliance to persons: but of scholars; for they will not ramble in their let any wise and learned man consider sober- reading, as those scholars are too apt to do ly the character of bishop Horne, such as it who have no certain objects before them. If was when he was a young Master of Arts; their objects are fixed, none of their time and he cannot but conclude, there must have will be lost; and, if those objects are great been something very great, and very inviting, and valuable, beyond all others, and partly in the doctrines which could engage so much new, or placed in a new light, their curiosity of the attention of so excellent a man: and will rise, and their affections be strongly inthough he shall be told perhaps, with a view terested; and from such a beginning they to his justification, that time changed his may hereafter be great, and useful, and good opinions; it does not appear, that he ever men, such as are now much wanted in the departed from any single doctrine defended world. We are at this time under great in this book: therefore we are confident the alarm: infidelity, always destructive to itrepublication of it can do no harm. Some self and others, hath lately arisen under a young students, of whom their friends may new and hideous form in France, like a demon justly conceive great hopes, having heard from the infernal pit; armed with new weathat such a cause was once pleaded by such pons, and animated with new malignity; to a man, and being not able to procure the spread disorder and ruin over the whole book, wish for an opportunity of seeing what world. Who would not rejoice, if old truth he then said, and of judging of it for them- and good learning could be seen to rise up in selves which liberty no man will deny England, under some new and attractive them. If they should be told, that the con- form, to awaken and invite the indifferent, to troversy is now out of date, we can assure enlighten the ignorant, to add wisdom to them that it is not; and that no time will the wise, and strength to the active? O let lessen the importance of the doctrines then not this be a vain vision! It might, and it disputed and defended. Some will always would be realized, if the truth, and learning, be found, who will never like them. If in- and piety displayed in this Apology, were fidels and sceptical critics know their interest to prevail and become fashionable in this as such, they will expect no good to their kingdom. cause from the imitators of bishop Horne; May 3d, 1799. AN APOLOGY, &c. It is observed of Mr. Hooker, by the au- many of their objections had never been thor of his life, that one of the sharpest things made. That we think ourselves obliged to that ever fell from his pen in controversy him for some excellent interpretations of was the following reproof of his adversary"Your next argument," says he to him," consists of railing and reasons: to your railing I say nothing; to your reasons I say what follows." This sentence I am obliged to adopt as a rule of my conduct upon the present occasion; the author I am now concerned with having mixed with his arguments a great deal of bitterness and abuse, which must do as little credit to himself as they can do service to his cause. He gives us to understand, p. 37, that he is in full expectation of being heartily abused in return; though how this would in any sort justify him, it may not be so easy to determine. But I have no occasion for that kind of artillery, and have besides learned a lesson, to which he seems as yet a stranger, that "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." Therefore, in the words of the excellent Hooker"To his railing I say nothing; to his reasons I say what follows." But first I must beg leave to take notice of the name Hutchinsonian, an appellation frequently bestowed upon me by this author, who, p. 15, supposes, "Mr. Wetherell would take it ill, if he was not complimented as one of Mr. Hutchinson's disciples." What reason he had for supposing so I cannot tell, since neither Mr. Wetherell, nor myself, nor any of our acquaintance, desire to be complimented as the disciples of any man. Not that we are nullius addicti jurare in verba magistri; for one is our master, even Christ. We are members of THE CHURCH, which from the first has always gloried in the name of Christian, as expressing her unity with Christ, and in that of Catholic, as distinguishing her from all classes and clans of heretics. That we have read Mr. Hutchinson's books is certain; and, if his adversaries had done the same, Scripture is likewise certain. If the gentle- As to our being a sect, or schismatical combination of separatists from other Christians of the church of England we do most sincerely disavow the name and the thing; it seems, are out of countenance at such monstrous things as these, and are prevented from standing forth effectually in its vindication. Whether this writer thought it would be a disgrace to him to appear in our company, I do not know; otherwise, it had been but acting the part of an ingenuous adversary to have favored the world with his name in his title page, together with those of his adversaries, especially, as at p. 40, he talks something about a protest that he has entered; and an anonymous protest is what one seldom hears of. Had he given us his name, we might have known who these effectual vindicators of the university are as matters now stand, we may suppose them to be persons of many extraordinary endowments; but, from the fear they express of being out of countenance for the university, we must conclude, that what they are particularly famous for is their modesty. But after all, with regard to the complaint talked of-Sure I am, that if our superiors in the university, and in our respective colleges, have anything to allege against our conduct, whereby we hurt the cause of Christianity, the church of England, the university, or the society to which each belongs, and will be pleased to signify it to us, they shall see that we can practice the doctrine we preach, of obedience to all that are in authority over us. being fully persuaded of the necessity of being in the unity of the church, to obtain salvation. In the communion of the church of England, therefore we intend to die. To every zealous friend and promoter of the interest of Christ, the Scriptures, and the church, we are ready, cheerfully and joyfulfully, to give the right hand of fellowship, whether he reads Mr. Hutchinson or not; though we cannot but esteem it our duty humbly and meekly to recommend to others what has been of service to us in our searches after divine knowledge. If we are found fault with for not mixing so much with the world as some choose to do, and not spending our time as the world does, we can only say, that it is written-" Be not conformed to this world"-that life is short, and time precious; and that the hours, which we kill here, will rise with us from the dead, and attend us, as our accusers, to the judgment seat. But there is an end to be served likewise by representing us as a sect; for then the imprudence of some (and where among the sons of men shall we find an exemption from imprudence?) are charged upon the party. As therefore we disclaim the notion of any sect but that of the Nazarenes, and detest the idea of any party but the church of England, I beg leave to protest against that method of proceeding, and to desire that every man may bear his own burden; since, if one who has read Hutchinson should think proper to talk nonsense at the Land's End or Berwick-upon-Tweed, I see no reason why it should be anything to me, because I have read Hutchinson, when I do not talk nonsence at Oxford. Nor can it surely be agreeable to the rules of candor and benevolence, that, because a whimsical interpretation is given by one writer, therefore a sound interpretation should not be taken from another. By his own words let every man be justified, and by his own words let him be condemned. it but the readers of Mr. Hutchinson, I never The author says, p. 6, "our behavior is become matter of general complaint." From whence comes the complaint? Not from our superiors in this place; for the gentleman who so worthily fills the chair at present, II. Ibid. "They labor to discredit all other thought proper to put one of us into the uni- preachers of the Gospel," &c. By no means. versity pulpit; who, though this author and They labor to discredit all erroneous tenets, his friends" came in full expectation of the preached by many who should preach the marvellous,” p. 16, out-did every thing they Gospel. It is the complaint of hundreds of could have dreamed of, by having the assur- serious and pious Christians, who have never ance to preach the doctrine of the homilies read or heard of Mr. Hutchinson, that there on the 30th of January. And what makes is at present not only a lamentable relaxation this beyond anything we meet with in history of discipline in the church, but (what is inis, that he did it, when he was probably only in deacon's orders! But who, then, are these complainants? Why, some of the warmest friends of the university, p. 6, who, I shall next reply to some general charges which the author has brought against us. I. The first is, that we set up for the only Christian preachers in the nation. "They tell men," says he, p. 6," that they, and they only, are the servants of the most High God, who show forth the way of salvation." The way of salvation is but one, viz: faith in Christ, bringing forth the fruits thereof; and none, but those who preach that, are the servants of the most High God, that show forth the way of salvation. That none do preach said or thought; though I wish their number was much greater than it is. If the gentleman can produce any one that he thinks has said so, let him defend himself. deed the consequence of it) as lamentable a falling-off from the old way of preaching and expounding the word of God. Let any one read the serinons of the primitive fathers, and our divines that lived in the times suc- so elegant, St. Peter's plain address, I supceeding the reformation, who preached from pose, would be worth ten thousand of them the fathers, as the fathers did from the Scriptures, and compare their discourses with those of this last century, and they must pronounce one or other of them to be many removes from Christianity. If offence should be taken at this, I can only say, that if any one will tell me how truth may be spoken, in such cases as these, without offending some, I will spare no labor to learn the art of it. But it will be said, perhaps, these fathers and divines are now of no authority. Perhaps so. Let it be my lot to tread in their steps on earth, and sit at their feet in heaven! I ask no more in this world, or that which is to come. What I have to observe farther at present is, that, if there be really such a defection from the primitive manner of preaching, the properest place wherein to speak of it is a university, where preachers are educated. III. "They dare to deny the very existence of moral duties, in order to exalt Christian virtues,”—p. 7. Moral duties are what the Scripture calls works. If these are done in Christ, they are Christian virtues; and then, here is a distinction without a difference if they are done out of Christ upon any other than Christian motives, they are nothing to any saving purpose: and, if they are done against Christ, as meritorious to salvation, they are much worse than nothing. But to state our sentiments more at large upon this important point of doctrine. We preach the fall of man into a state of sin and corruption, in which state we say, with the 10th article of our Church, that he " has no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing him, that he may have a good will: and article 13, that as to works done before the grace of Christ, for that they are not done as God has willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin." We preach justification by the blood of Christ, sanctification by his Spirit, and the fruits of that Spirit the evidences of both. How we can be said to deny the existence of moral duties, because we preach faith, the root from whence they spring, I know not; unless he that plants a vine does, by that action, deny the existence of grapes. One thing, indeed, we do affirm, because we can prove it from Scripture, that whoever preaches and enforces moral duties, without justification and sanctification preceding, may as well declaim upon the advantages of walking, to a man that can neither stir hand nor foot such is the natural impotence of the soul to do any good thing, till it is justified and sanctified. Let the declamation be ever to a cripple-"In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk." Such is the difference between an Ethical divine and a Christian preacher. It is, indeed, a rule with some, to suppose the people already sufficiently instructed in Christianity: but why is it not much more probable, that they should be already sufficiently instructed in morality than in Christianity, if all their ministers preach upon the former, and none upon the latter; which must be the case, if all act upon the same supposition, of their people being already adepts in the Gospel? The moral, or practical part of the apostolical sermons and epistles, is generally the last and shortest, and comes after the apostles have enlightened the understanding with the knowledge of Christ, and warmed the heart with some great doctrine of salvation; as they knew, that one stroke, when the iron was hot, did more execution than twenty when it was cold.* In short, since, as our church expresses it in her 10th article-"The condition of man, after the fall of Adam, is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God;" and since, as she says in the 11th article-"We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works, or deservings;" it is certain that whoever preaches works, or moral duties, disjoined from faith in Christ, with its motives and principles of action, preaches a doctrine contrary to the whole tenor of the Bible, and as far from Christianity as the east is from the west. To what purpose then serve good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow their justification? The 12th article will tell us "They (even they) cannot put away our sins, or endure the severity of God's judgment: yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree is discerned by its fruits." The fruit receives its goodness from the tree, not the tree from the fruit, which does not make the tree good, but shows it to be so, because men do not gather grapes of thorns: so works receive all their goodness from faith, not faith from works, which do not themselves justify, but show a prior justification of the soul that produces them; *See 1 Cor. xv. where, after 57 verses upon a doctrine, the apostle closes with one only, by way of practical inference. |