Mr. Howe in Answer to Y. N.'s Objection to the Divine Government. what he conceives to be real life, I shall adopt the same mode. As to the generality of widowers and widows then, judging of those I do not know, from the persons of this description I do know, however much affected at the painful separation, time and reflection alleviate their grief, and they are not such wretched objects as this gloomy painter draws them. Many of them indeed, not altogether relishing the "solitude" in which they are left, have no objection to repair their loss by another union, a proof by the way that they were not led by experience to entertain such formidable, terrific ideas of matrimony as your Correspondent Y. N. I shall not enter into the argument to which he refers of Mr. Lindsey and others, that the comparatively few instances of suicide, furnish a proof of mankind in general not being unhappy. Some who are weary of their mortal existence are no doubt restrained from rushing on death for relief, from fear of the consequences hereafter, which makes them rather bear those ills they have, than fly to others they know not of." I cannot how ever agree with Y. N. in thinking, that if self-murder was "not disreputable, and if a general conviction prevailed that this world ends all human feeling, hundreds of thousands would thus die." Happy for mankind the experiment is not likely to be made; but even in this supposable case, the love of life is I conceive so strong and ardent, and there is such a natural dread of losing that existence and those active powers we possess, as would prevent those hundreds of thousands of whom he speaks, from effecting self-destruction. The wisdom which Y. N. applauds of those philosophers who said "the best thing possible was never to be born, and the next best to dié the hour of one's birth," will be very differently appreciated, I presume, by most of my readers who believe in the infinite wisdom and goodness of our Creator, and the pure doctrines of the Christian revelation, teaching us that man is destined for an immortal life, for the enjoyment of which he is furnished with the means of preparing, in this state of trial and probation. As the design of this paper is chiefly to obviate the leading objections of Y. N. to the divine government re 583 specting the present constitution of things, I shall not enter on the statement of the many and forcible proofs both positive and presumptive of the prevalence of happiness over misery in this varied scene, introductory to a future and more perfect state of being. For that satisfaction on this point which the present writer has himself received, he takes leave earnestly to recommend to Y. N. the attentive perusal of the chapter, "on the Goodness of the Deity," in Dr. Paley's "Natural Theology," Mr. Lindsey "on the Divine Government," and more especially "Illustrations of the Divine Government," by T. Southwood Smith, a work which was judiciously reviewed in the Monthly Repository for August, and which may be justly ranked among the nost masterly productions of the age, on this inportant subject. Many useful reflections and much moral improvement may be derived, from the inquiry proposed by Y. N. Whether happiness or misery really preponderates, it becomes us as men and professing Christians, to learn, with the Apostle Paul, "in whatsoever state we are to be therewith content," as the appointment of a Being whose wisdom cannot err, whose providence is universal, and whose goodness. is infinite and unchangeable. In forming a due estimate of human life, let us guard against mistaking the excep tions to the usual course of things, for the general rule, and deducing our inferences from the former instead of the later. This it appears to me Y. N. has done, which has led him to his gloomy conclusions. It has pleased the Supreme Lord of the universe to act by general laws (excepting peculiar cases of miraculous operation): and that this mode of government is the wisest and best of any conceivable plans, Dr. Priestley adduces many solid arguments to prove, in the first volume of his "Letters to a Philosophical Unbeliever." It is evident, however, that this constitution of things, must be attended with unavoidable partol evils. The same elment of fire for instance which is of incalculable utility to the world, will sometimes consume the comfortable habitations of men and occasion great distress. A.e we therefore justified from the latter. accidental circumstance, in reasoning reigneth, let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne." against the wisdom and goodness of and goodness of "the Most High Convinced by abundant satisfactory proofs, that the communication of happiness is the great leading object of the divine administration, it becomes us to co-operate in the gracious designs of the Deity, by discharging the duty we owe to society, of contributing as much as lies in our power, to lessen its evils and increase its comforts. This is incumbent on us as children of the same gracious Parent, and therefore brethren of the same family of mankind, as members of the same community, and I may add professors of the religion of the gospel, the chief characteristic of which is love. The happiness of society is promoted by improvements made in the arts of civilized life, by the education of the rising generation among all ranks and conditions, by the diffusion of general knowledge, and more especially by the spread of just and worthy senti ments respecting God and religion. The estimate of human life, I doubt not, as to the preponderance of its sum of enjoyments over its evils, will be proportionally more favourable, as attention is paid to the important objects just mentioned. To a state of society greatly more enlightened, more improved in moral excellence, and consequently happier, than in any preceding period of the world; to a state of society distinguished by the prevalence of truth, peace and righteousness, inspired prophecy directs our views: and the many pious and benevolent institutions which do honour to this age and country (among which may be ranked those that are established for the promotion of free inquiry, of pure Christianity, and the practice of virtue as not of the least importance), are some of the means which the Supreme Disposer of all things will probably adopt, for bringing about this auspicious era. SIR, Bristol, September 10, 1816. T was with much pleasure I read the article on Doctrinal or Controversial Preaching, in the Repository for last month, [p. 456,] the writer of which is entitled (I feel no hesitation in saying) to the most cordial thanks of all those whe On Controversial Divinity. wish well to the cause of rational On Controversial Divinity. Sept. 7th, 1816. "THE HE dispute about religion," says Dr. Young," and the practice of it, seldom go together." This assertion must be taken with some grains of allowance. It could be designed only to guard us against the influence of a contentious and controversial spirit, to the neglect of real religion; and not to discourage the sober investigation of truth: for this eminent writer was himself, saving perhaps in some articles of his creed, one of the profoundest reasoners. The disputatious professor enters into the church or into company to criticize, to judge and to condemn. He can discern a minister's creed by the turn of his prayers, by the naming of his text,* or even by the lines of his * “ That's an Arminian text,” said a sage disciple once to his pew-mate as soon as the minister had spoken it. 585 countenance; and in company he "They crowd about a little spark, Such a spirit is of hurtful tendency; it is the bane of that common love we owe to all mankind, of peace and friendly intercourse; it will wither our virtues and reflect disgrace upon our profession: nevertheless, as just hinted, we must sometimes dispute; for what topic of religion or of morals hath not been made a subject of controversy ? Only let us be careful to observe the essential circumstances of time, place and manner. As in a mixed company, so in a sermon delivered to a mixed congregation, we should not enter much into disputed points, meaning here, not the great outlines of natural and revealed religion, which, though they have been controverted, are supposed to be acknowledged and partly understood by the majority of Christian hearers, but those points about which the sincere professors of the gospel differ. The former will ever constitute an essential part of all sound legitimate scriptural preaching; the latter it is plain should be treated of only in a general way. It is impossible in a single discourse to state all questions relative to a disputed article or to answer all objections: there is a decorum, a manner to be observed in a sermon, never to be departed from. At the same time that the faithful minister should guard against every thing that would nourish foolish and hurtful prejudices, every thing that has the appearance of trimming, compounding or reconciling things in themselves irreconcileable, he should avoid in matters of speculation; for in morals there must be no ceremony though there should be method: in treating of matters of speculation he should avoid every thing irritating or calculated to hurt the feelings of the weak, but humble believer, who certainly had better for the present be suffered to retain a simple error of the intellect, rather, than that by having his evil passions awakened, he should unhap pily fall into some vice of the heart. The preacher in this case is in danger of alarming the prejudices of his hearers without convincing their understandings, and perhaps, to shorten his work, will unawares be led into railing instead of reasoning. These remarks do not apply to reigious conversations strictly so called, to printed sermons on particular occasions, or to lectures in the form of sermons professedly treating on particular subjects where the hearers are prepared for discussion, and which may all be eminently useful in their way, though even here the character of a sermon should be preserved, but chiefly to general preaching. It is a kind of sacrilege," says Dr. Hartley, "to rob God's flock of the nourishment due to them from public preachings, and in its stead to run out upon questions that minister no profit to the hearers, at least to the greatest part. These things are much better communicated to the world by the press than to a mixed assembly by the pulpit." 66 It may not be amiss here to offer a few remarks upon the several names and denominations into which the Christian church is divided; and to which, to names and not to things our present reflections will be confined. It is indeed certain that as "the evil shall bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous" so, things as well as names will finally settle upon their proper bases. That which hath an unstable foundation must necessarily fall of itself; and were it not so, the decree as to all the corruptions of religion is final and irrevocable: " every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up." But names may be come obsolete long before the things signified by them are fallen into decay; that is, the asperities and excrescences of sects and parties may wear off, and they may learn to view one another without aversion and disgust, and even with cordial amity and good will, though they should still retain many of their own peculiar notions. And this desirable event appears to be rapidly accomplishing every day. Some eminent Protestants have written to prove that the Pope is Anti-Christ, and in the opinion of their own party they have written well: but we must not confine Anti-Christ to any particular denomination: wherever there is a desire of governing consciences or of lording it over God's heritage, there is AntiChrist.* But wherever these obnoxious principles are disowned, we must not judge our brother" because he followeth not with us." The charity of the great Founder of our religion and of the sacred writers, is extended to a degree of which a true bigot of any denomination, cleric or laick, established or un-established, can scarcely form an idea. Our Lord would not permit those strangers to be forbid den who attempted to cure diseases in his name; and St. Paul permitted those to preach the gospel who built nothing upon it but "wood, hay and stubble;" and allowed that though their works should be made manifest "by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning," the men themselves might be saved; and he rejoiced that "Christ was preached," though from improper motives: and thus must we act if we would approve ourselves true Christians, though we should find it impossible entirely to coalesce with some particular communities. If a Protestant of the denomination of "Friends" were introduced into the cathedral of St. Peter's at Rome at the celebration of some solemn festival, what would be his sensations ?-the gorgeous temple, the holy water, the superb ornaments, the pompous processions, the change of postures and of vestments, the blaze of candles at noonday, the smoke of incense, the instru mental music, the chanting of the choristers, the prayers in an unknown tongue-would altogether serve in their general effect absolutely to distract him! Or if perchance he could gain an interval of reflection, it would be to say within himself is this the religion of Jesus Christ? are these the disciples of the prophet of Nazareth, “the man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs?" of him who laid down “ poverty of spirit" as the first stone in his spiritual building; of him whose "kingdom was not of this world?" Perhaps he On Controversial Divinity. might be told in the sermon, if perchance it should be preached by a L'abbé Pluche or a Fenelon, that all this pomp and pageantry was nothing, any further than as it served to promote internal sanctity and the religion of the heart but this would not suffice; he would immediately reply-if it be nothing, then it is nothing worth, a needless expence upon the public, and much better omitted. And even in a church of more chaste and sober forms, the pealing organ, the frequent repetitions, the monotonous buz of a general response and the careless gabble of charity children, would tend rather to depress than to exalt his devotion. And on the other hand, bring an uninformed Romanist into a silent meet ing, and, from a total ignorance of their peculiar principles, he would inquire-wherefore they were come together? And yet, might not the Romanist and the Friend, together with some of the intermediate classes, converse together upon the outline of natural religion and of Christian faith; and if accidentally cast into situations where their particular worship was not to be had, meet together on the Lord's day, depute one as the organ of the congregation to pray with or without a form, read some portions of Scripture, exhort either from a written table or from "the table of the heart," and praise the great Creator and Governor of the universe, through Jesus Christ? Nay, might not those among them who held the perpetuity of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, unite in eating bread and drinking wine, in commemoration of their common Lord, together with some short and appropriate prayers and thanksgivings; and yet each retain for the present his own peculiar ideas as to the nature of this religious rite? Certainly all this may be done by sober and considerate persons in different parts of the world, not only without offence, but much to their mutual comfort and edification. But if upon any such occasions a Gardiner or a Bonner should unexpectedly enter, thunder out his anathema, tell those of his own community that a ceremonial worship was necessary to their religious improvement, that public prayer cannot be duly celebrated without the priest, nor the sacrament without the massbook, and they were to believe him; 587 then indeed for the present there must be an end of the business! In such a case those who are left ought, in a religious view, to think and act for themselves. The whole world," says Dr. Hartley," will never be reformed but by those who are of a truly Catholic spirit." And to promote this desirable and important end we are called upon as Christians, both in our private and public capacities. Nothing can be more obvious, if we believe Scripture, and, as it hath been well illustrated by many eminent writers, than that the world is carried on for the sake of the church, not this or that particular church, not the clergy as distinct from the laity, but the church of God, consisting, first, of "the household of faith," emphatically so called, that is, true Christians of every denomination, and secondly, of " the children of God who are scattered abroad, those other sheep who are not of the first fold, the sons and daughters whom God shall bring from afar, from the east and the west, the north and the south, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in his kingdom." The Jewish nation also, which, as such, was the ancient and peculiar people of God, the only nation which has any right to plead favouritism, and that not on their own account-which was never entirely cast off, and which is to be finally restored, must be included in this general idea. It is no enthusiasm to say that in this sense "dominion is founded in grace," and that "the saints shall judge the world;" but then this is a spiritual and not a civil dominion-the dominion of virtue over vice, of truth over error, of simple real religion over superstition, of a spirit of peace and charity over a spirit of bigotry and intolerance: "For the needy shall not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever; nor shall the rod of the wicked for ever rest upon the lot of the righteous!" Providence sometimes brings about these events by gradual means, and sometimes He operates more sensibly. There is a period when the church is represented as crying out, "It is time for Thee, O Lord! to work, for they have made void thy law: Arise, O Lord! judge the earth, for thou shalt inherit all nations." In the 24th and 34th chapters of Isaiah we have a description of what |